Gandhi's experiments with cricket-Tue, 17 Aug 2010

Gandhi's experiments with cricket


The Hindu Tue, 17 Aug 2010



A file photo of Bakhtiar Dadabhoy (left) with Raj Singh Dungarpur, former BCCI president, beside a replica of the Ranji Trophy at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai

HYDERABAD: Mahatma Gandhi's cricket connections are seen mostly as condemnations of communal forms/labels to teams such as the Hindus, Muslims and Parsis in the Pentangular tournament held in Mumbai during the 1930s. While his denunciation led to the event's demise, few know that the game of flannelled whites had Gandhi in its grip during his schooldays.

Cricket historian Bakhtiar Dadabhoy's research in the Cricket Club of India (CCI) library held out a few revelations. Ratilal G. Mehta, the Mahatma's childhood friend and classmate at Alfred High School in Rajkot, testified that the latter not only wielded the willow with skill but was clever with the cherry too, long before he bowled out the British from India.

Mr. Dadabhoy, author of A Book of Cricket Days and A Dictionary of Dates, gleaned from Mr. Mehta's memories that Gandhi had the gift of prophecy, if not a keen cricketing sixth sense. Besides playing together, the duo watched matches such as the one between Rajkot City and Rajkot Sadar (camp area). At a crucial point of the contest, Gandhi predicted a particular batsman would be out. Sure enough, his forecast proved accurate as the said batsman departed soon after.

By his own admission, Gandhi was averse to exercise and refrained from any athletic pursuits till they were made mandatory. In his autobiography My Experiments with Truth, he wrote: “Dorabji Edulji Gimi was the headmaster then. He had made gymnastics and cricket compulsory for boys of upper standards. I never took part in any exercise, cricket or football, before they were made compulsory.”

Mr. Dadabhoy, who has also penned the best-selling Jeh: A Life of J.R.D. Tata, and Sugar in Milk: Lives of eminent Parsis, narrates two related anecdotes. It is little known that like Ranjitsinhji, Duleepsinhji and the Nawab of Pataudi Sr., Gandhiji was ‘in' a touring England team. The only difference was that while they played against Australia, Gandhiji ‘belonged' to Douglas Jardine's MCC team which visited India in 1933-34.

Therein hangs a tale. When Laxmi Merchant, sister of famous batsman Vijay Merchant, asked Gandhiji for an autograph, he entered his name as the 17th player on the MCC team list. That scrawl is now a treasured possession at Lord's.

On another occasion, Gandhiji, in a lighter vein, challenged the Nawab of Pataudi Sr. to a game of cricket (single wicket). The Nawab told Gandhiji: “Mahatmaji, I am sure you can beat me at cricket while I cannot outwit you in politics.” Gandhiji responded with one of his toothless chuckles and said: “Nawab saheb apne to mujhe abhi se he bowled kar diya.” (Nawab saheb, you have already bowled me out.)

That Gandhi was a familiar figure even among cricket followers is evident from another of the Nawab of Pataudi's reminiscences. Pataudi Sr., in his first appearance at Sydney, was fielding under the infamous Hill, the home of professional barrackers. They heckled him with, “Hey, Gandhi [perhaps the most famous Indian then] where is your goat?” and kept at it. Fed up, the Nawab quipped: “It must be with you, brother, judging from the smell.” That wisecrack won over the Hill.