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Captaining the Indian cricket team is like leading a battle for the country. This episode tracks the warriors who led the team in a journey from being everyones whipping boys to becoming World Champions. We trace the footsteps of the first Test captain Col. C.K. Nayudu and how a common man in the pre independence era became the first captain. As we move forward Nawab of Pataudi Jr. changes the mindset of the players while Ajit Wadekar achieves historic overseas results for India. The episode traces how under the leadership of Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar India started to win One Day International tournaments including the 1983 World Cup. While Saurav Gangulys captaincy started a new era for India which culminated with MS Dhoni lifting the World Cup on Indian soil after a gap of 28 years.
An opening batsmen defines the game. The role and approach of an opener has evolved through the years. Back in the day an opener had to steadily craft an inning and plot his game. Today the openers role is to give the team a flying start. This episode highlights one of India’s most conservative and technical openers from the pre independence era, Vijay Merchant, to one of the best Test openers in the world, Sunil Gavaskar. The show also explores the rise of Tendulkar and Sehwag who took opening batting to a vibrant, aggressive and exuberant level.
India has talented spinners who have bamboozled batsmen all over the world. This episode traces the origins of these spinners beginning with the unknown quality of Baloo in the times of the Raj to Vinoo Mankad’s left arm spin which was the backbone of the team in the 40’s and 50’s. Uncovering the stories of the famous spin ‘quartet’ in the 60’s and 70’s in particular Bishen Bedi and Chandrashekar to Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh who single handedly won historic matches in the 90’s and 21st century.
The nation’s cricket fever rewinds into history. Go down memory lane with Naseeruddin Shah to see the evolution of the game with contributions from the British, the Maharajas and the masters themselves.
This episode celebrates few men who have engraved their names in the annals of Indian cricket history as world class pacers. Mohammed Nissar and Amar Singh in the pre independence era have raised eyebrows as a pace duo more than once, for instance the first test of India at Lords in 1932. Postindependence, Kapil Dev stormed in and broke every taboo attached to an Indian pacer to become the leading wicket taker of his time in tests. Javagal Srinath showed the world that a fast bowler can be intimidating by his pace alone. Thereafter Zaheer Khan has stood tall amongst his peers as Indias finest left arm seamer.
A cricket hungry nation and world cup fever go hand in hand. Relive heart pounding victories and disappointing exits. From Kapils devils, Dhonis boys and Sachins team live the moments with added trivia and quirky anecdotes.
Indian Cricket has seen many inflection points. From a crisis to a triumph, a controversy to an experiment. For each of these crossroad moments, a towering personality made a path that changed the game.
In early 20th century, there were few lefthanded batsmen. In 1932 there was one lefthander in a squad of 18 to tour England. But times are changing. In India’s 2015 World cup squad of 15 there were 4.
Turn back the clock to visit the cricketing relationship between India and England. The history rolls back to 1911 with the countries finest players, victories and losses to the present day game.
Great cricketers have overcome injuries braving their way onto the field. Nari Contractor to Yuvraj Singh, a broken hip to cancer, these bravehearts personified the adage cometh the hour, cometh the man.
Hindi
01 August 2020
Sports
Neerav Ghosh
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