When the history of Indian cricket during the 20th century is written, the cricket season of 1982-83 will, in all probability, be hailed as the one that had the greatest impact on the development of this sport in the country.
The season started with a one-off Test against Sri Lanka, who were making their entry into the rarefied world of Test matches. This was followed by a six-Test tour to Pakistan, followed by a visit to the West Indies to play five Tests. The last fixture of this eventful season was the Prudential World Cup of 1983.
This was undoubtedly a very tough season as well. A tour to Pakistan is never an easy one, and it was even more difficult during those days, when Imran Khan led a top drawer side. Further, Pakistan also had an axe to grind since they had tasted defeat when the side toured India in 1979-80.
An away series against West Indies, easily the strongest side in the world with their pack of fearsome fast bowlers and explosive batsmen, was the toughest challenge in world cricket from the mid 1970s till the turn of the century.
Since India had a very poor record in limited-overs cricket, winning just a solitary game in the first two editions of the World Cup, nothing much was expected from the side in the 1983 championship as well.
But India shocked the cricketing world by humbling the mighty West Indies to lift the World Cup in June 1983. The story of how this victory was achieved has been told and retold on numerous occasions and does not need any repetition. But the details of the two series before that, against Pakistan and the West Indies, both of which India lost badly, are hardly ever recited.
It was the experience of taking on these two strong teams in their own den that hardened the Indian cricketers and sharpened their skillsets, and placed them on the track for becoming world champions. Most sides would have crumbled in the face of back-to-back defeats in a span of six months and gone to pieces. India were able to retain their honour and emerge from this trial of fire with their pride intact due to the efforts of one player, who not only withstood the thunderbolts hurled by the fast bowlers but also counterattacked with gusto, besides anchoring the side at critical times during the semifinals and finals of the World Cup.
It is a travesty of justice that Mohinder Amarnath is seldom given credit for his huge contributions to Indian cricket, especially those made during the 1982-83 season, where his technique, grit, courage and fortitude won him appreciation even from his opponents. There is no doubt that India would have collapsed like a pack of cards had Mohinder not stood up boldly against Imran and company in Pakistan or taken on the West Indian fast bowlers courageously. The 1,182 runs he made during the 11 Tests against these two opponents, which included five centuries, were worth their weight in pure gold. The saga he scripted by resuming his innings after being rushed to the hospital for having stitches put on his face following a bouncer from Malcolm Marshall hitting him flush on his face, on a dreadful pitch at Bridgetown, Barbados, will be remembered as long as the game is played. It was for this reason that no less a person than Viv Richards hailed him as the best batsman in the world against fast bowling.
Mohinder Amarnath and Surinder Amarnath at a felicitation function organised by the Delhi and District Cricket Association in 2017. Former India captain Bishen Singh Bedi is also seen. File photo: PTI
Mohinder’s career makes interesting reading in that there were no fewer than five comebacks in his 18-year international cricket career. After his debut at Chennai against the visiting Aussies as a medium pace bowler, where he left everyone shocked by clean bowling Bill Lawry and Ian Chappell, he had to wait another six years before getting another opportunity to play at this level. Even after his return and cementing his place in the side as an all-rounder, Mohinder was made to pay the penalty whenever he suffered a lapse of form. But a more serious issue cropped up when he started getting labelled as “weak against the bouncer” on account of getting struck on the head a couple of times.
Up until the late 1970s, batsmen rarely wore helmets. Mohinder suffered a fracture of his skull when he was struck by a bouncer from Richard Hadlee in a first-class game during the tour to England in 1979. He was not part of the side during the first five Tests in the series against Australia that followed. When he was selected for the final Test of the series at Mumbai, it was obvious that the Aussie fast bowlers would pepper him with bouncers. Mohinder surprised one and all by walking in to bat wearing a “solar toppee”, of the type worn by cricketers during the 1930s He was greeted by an array of bouncers and he toppled on the stumps while trying to hook one and was dismissed for a “duck”.
It was later revealed that Mohinder wore the “solar toppee” on the direction of his father, Lala Amarnath, who was opposed to his son wearing a helmet. If Lala had thought that this headgear would be an adequate substitute for a helmet, he was mistaken, as neither did it offer protection to a blow to the head nor give confidence to the batsman. Even worse, Mohinder became a laughing stock with critics calling this a “stunt that ended disastrously”. It took the doughty cricketer close to four years to work his way back to the national side after this mishap. And, when finally provided the opportunity, he bounced back with a bang, his brilliant show with the willow during the 1982-83 season standing as proof for his unending appetite for scoring runs.
It was Mohinder’s unique misfortune that he found himself out of the side within a year after his run of superlative performances in 1982-83. He lost his form mysteriously and had to struggle to get the bat to ball. His tally of a single run in six completed innings against the touring West Indies side sums up the depths to which his form had plummeted during this phase. However, selectors and, more importantly, skipper Sunil Gavaskar kept their faith in his abilities when the next season commenced. He started scoring runs and took back his place in the middle order in the test side, which he retained for the next four years.
Mohinder Amarnath pours champagne on Sunil Gavaskar after India triumphed in the World Championship of Cricket. Photo: Manorama Archives
Another shock awaited Mohinder as, despite being physically fit and in good form, he was omitted from the side for the 1987 World Cup. With the benefit of hindsight, one can state with confidence that the team would have repeated the feat of 1983 had Mohinder played for India in the first-ever World Cup held in India. But he continued playing for the country till he was dropped again in 1989, this time for standing up for the players in their fight against the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). At this juncture, all his pent-up emotions burst to the surface and he threw in the towel by calling the selectors a bunch of jokers.
The autobiography of a player who had faced so many vicissitudes of form and fortune during his stint at the highest level should make interesting reading. The book “Fearless: A Memoir” penned by him with his brother Rajinder, meets these expectations in full. Mohinder has written in detail about his early days as a cricketer, how he overcame challenges repeatedly to stage comebacks and the manner in which he tackled the fast bowlers in the Caribbean islands. He deserves appreciation for choosing to steer clear of controversies by refusing to name cricketers who come across in an uncharitable manner in this work.
One jarring fact that runs through this book is Mohinder’s repeated professing of loyalty and love for his father. One can appreciate the role played by Lala Amarnath in moulding the character and career of his sons and the blind faith he had in their abilities. It is also not denied that on some occasions, his three sons faced difficulties on account of the adverse feelings that their father generated in certain quarters. However, repeated assertions that winning the praise of his father and making him proud were the only driving forces of his career not only stand out like a sore thumb but also tantamount to giving the sire excess credit than due to him.
Similarly, Mohinder does not make any mention about his stint as national selector when he sought the removal of Mahendra Singh Dhoni as captain after the side lost eight consecutive Test matches. According to rumours floating at that time, N Srinivasan, then heading BCCI, used his veto power to reverse this decision of the committee and, for good measure, got Mohinder replaced as selector at short notice. It may be on account of his intention to steer clear of controversies that Mohinder refrained from discussing this topic.
There is one factual inaccuracy in this book. It is mentioned in the chapter “Left in the lurch” that Gavaskar announced at the end of the home series against West Indies in 1978-79 that he would not be available to lead the side during the tour to England in 1979. This is not correct as Gavaskar was removed from captaincy and Syed Kirmani dropped from the squad for the 1979 World Cup and the series against England that followed, as the BCCI received reports that the duo was in touch with representatives of World Series Cricket run by Kerry Packer. The bigwigs of BCCI decided that it would be embarrassing if the skipper and wicket-keeper switched allegiance after the squad was named and hence decided to remove Gavaskar as captain and drop Kirmani from the squad. It was at the end of the series against Pakistan in 1979-80 that Gavaskar decided to step down; this was in protest against the decision of the BCCI to schedule a tour to the West Indies without considering the workload on players who were playing non-stop international cricket for more than a year and a half.
These minor glitches aside, the book “Fearless: A Memoir” is excellent and gives one a peek into the life and times of one of the most courageous cricketers to have played for India. This work will be a welcome addition to the bibliography of all followers of the game, especially those who followed the fortunes of the national sides during the 1970s and 80s.