Aunshuman Gaekwad a picture of steely calm

A tribute to the late Aunshuman Gaekwad, a steely calm cricketer turned graceful coach with enduring friendships and emotional impact.

Countering the fiercest pace bowlers in their prime, Aunshuman Gaekwad was always a picture of steely calm. Later as a coach, the former India opener was all grace, empathy and laughter with the last-mentioned attribute in full evidence when Anil Kumble got his ‘perfect 10’ against Pakistan at Delhi in 1999.

However, in his battle against cancer, Gaekwad, Baroda’s mainstay and one of Sunil Gavaskar’s steady opening colleagues, had to play second-fiddle. Gaekwad, aged 71, passed away on Wednesday, leaving behind a grief-stricken cricketing fraternity. A recent stint in London hospitals while his former teammates Gavaskar and Kapil Dev rallied around him is both a tribute to the way he was loved and the enduring friendships he forged.

Another maestro must be grieving now as the great G.R. Viswanath was one of Gaekwad’s closest buddies. In his prime, the bespectacled Gaekwad was an immovable object against the fastest of bowlers, including Michael Holding.

His 1985 Test runs from 40 matches may not fully reveal the quality he possessed but there was no limit to his stone-walling technique that was evident in the 201 he scored against Pakistan at Jalandhar in 1983.

His 81 against the West Indies at Kingston’s Sabina Park during the 1976 tour, is the stuff of legend, and it is an innings that Holding, Gaekwad’s then tormentor, always remembers. Forced to retire hurt following a gruesome injury, the opener was resigned to seeing India lose to the Caribbean men in a Test marred by blood spilled on the turf. This was a new-age ‘bodyline’ and more vicious in its intent.

Having played for India for more than a decade, Gaekwad continued as a First Class cricketer till the 1991-92 season before seamlessly moving into coaching, selection and administration. Soft-spoken and with an easy smile, he was always accessible to the media while his close pals called him Anshu and relished their evenings of nostalgia and banter with him.

Recently Kapil released a video, imploring Gaekwad to fight back like he always had done. By the time the appeal concluded, one of India’s greatest cricketers was in tears, such was Gaekwad’s deep emotional impact on all those he interacted with in a storied career. India has lost a fine cricketer, and for all those he played with and coached, this loss is personal.