A quarter of a century ago, if an anonymous boy from an ekdum middle-class family could have looked outside his grilled window and woven visions of hitting a century match after match, leading his country, marrying an actress and making it to the country's highest body of elected representatives, his mother might have yelled from the bawarchikhana: 'Bewakoof! Phir se sapne dekhta hai!'
Class all over: Azharuddin goes down on his knees against the Englishmen in 1985. pic/getty images
Azharuddin's first century -- 25 years ago – almost never happened. When captain Gavaskar and manager Chandu Borde walked out to inspect the pitch at the start of the Eden Gardens Test, both had differing recruitment views.
In the absence of Sandeep Patil, Gavaskar proposed that he would drop himself in the order and get the Gaekwad-Srikkanth combination to open. Borde proposed that Azhar play instead. Azhar? SMG felt that it would be throwing a poor Christian to the lions in front of 90,000 people. Borde persisted. Look at his fielding and stroke-making time. He summed Azhar in two words: 'Plus cricketer.' Point clicked. SMG conceded. Azhar was in.
Azhar almost never lasted. In his debut innings, he went at Pat Pocock, missed and was almost sure that Paul Downton would have completed the karvaai. The England wicket-keeper fumbled. When the day ended, Azhar was 13 not out. Two pictures stand out: Azhar in a white Fred Perry t-shirt (presented by his captain)
Re: Mohammad azaruddin electrifying century at Eden Garden
by pravin sarode on Jan 25, 2011 06:46 AM
Azhar almost never lasted. In his debut innings, he went at Pat Pocock, missed and was almost sure that Paul Downton would have completed the karvaai. The England wicket-keeper fumbled. When the day ended, Azhar was 13 not out. Two pictures stand out: Azhar in a white Fred Perry t-shirt (presented by his captain) and in a helmet a few sizes larger than its contents. Azhar went on to his maiden century; his 110 off 322 balls. When he walked in at the Cricket Association of Bengal function for the two teams -- I can recollect his awkward tie that ended way above his navel -- attendees stood up and applauded. Inside a blooming function. Azhar didn't know where to look. He explained: "I was flooded with phone calls and was forced to attend a lot of functions. I got such a lot of attention that I began to feel scared of going anywhere."
A hundred in your first Test. A hundred in your second Test. A hundred in your third Test. The English media uncorked the vintage. Not just about the quantum, but the quality. Robin Marlar predicted greatness based on just one Azhar stroke. Pocock to Azhar. A little outside the leg stump. Azhar hit the ball behind the wicket-keeper. Most would have done so with a horizontal or angled bat. Azhar did so with a straight one, bringing his bat down and into his body at the last instant. "I have often been asked to describe perfection in sport. This is it."
u blame the commies as if everything is perfect with congress and the bjp rule.....get lost you idiots...lick the feet of the congress for another 60 years for a miniscule rich in India to become richer and the poor to stripped off even his underwear by these corrupt politicians...i am not a commie but i have the sense to find out how the media sucking money from the congress and the corporates hype and manipulate news about happenings in Bengal... The Govt...may be good or bad...but certainly corporate money and congress power is behind the mud slinging on the Government for sure.....Worse violent acts in other states do not get highlighted in the media for obvious reasons...Is there any public uprising in India in any issue other than religious ones....Have the public ever come out on the streets protesting price rise or against any issue that affects the common man in large numbers...But in sabarimala and Kumbh Mela people gather in crores only to die in stampede.....shame on us....dont know when our common man will stop voting for money and the rich powerful goons.....and we shamelessly speak about becoming SUPER POWER in 2020 when crores are living without basic food, shelter and clothing.....
Re: IT HAPPENS IN INDIA....DONT BLAME COMMIES IN GENERAL
by Gurjot Singh on Jan 25, 2011 03:37 AM
I am more worried if Bangladesh will have any venue ready. India and SL are experienced hosts and fabulously wealthy compared to poverty stricken BD. Hopefully we will not regret doing them the favor.
Re: IT HAPPENS IN INDIA....DONT BLAME COMMIES IN GENERAL
by SUDEEP MENON on Jan 24, 2011 10:54 PM
Tell me who else we have other than Congress n BJP. CPI will not even win morethan 20 seats all over India, then who else to Vote other than Congress and BJP. They are the best alternative available. So thats why many including me vote for them.
Eden - The Mecca of Indian Cricket is now loosing its fame. All blame on Sharad Pawar who has literally sidelined Eden. If you see the world cup matches 'Nagpur' has better matches then Eden. The Aus vs NZ match could have been in Eden to gave it more meaningful matches.
Re: gg
by ashim chakravarty on Jan 24, 2011 08:36 PM
The work is done by CAB, which doesn't have any relation with state govt. Moreover CAB is not in good terms with Govt. for last 4/5 years. So CAB can't balme anyone else except themselves.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: gg
by Padmanabhan Kumar on Jan 24, 2011 09:03 PM
u blame the commies as if everything is perfect with congress and the bjp rule.....get lost you idiots...lick the feet of the congress for another 60 years for a miniscule rich in India to become richer and the poor to stripped off even his underwear by these corrupt politicians...i am not a commie but i have the sense to find out how the media sucking money from the congress and the corporates hype and manipulate news about happenings in Bengal... The Govt...may be good or bad...but certainly corporate money and congress power is behind the mud slinging on the Government for sure.....Worse violent acts in other states do not get highlighted in the media for obvious reasons...Is there any public uprising in India in any issue other than religious ones....Have the public ever come out on the streets protesting price rise or against any issue that affects the common man in large numbers...But in sabarimala and Kumbh Mela people gather in crores only to die in stampede.....shame on us....dont know when our common man will stop voting for money and the rich powerful goons.....and we shamelessly speak about becoming SUPER POWER in 2020 when crores are living without basic food, shelter and clothing.....
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: gg
by Tera Baap on Jan 24, 2011 09:16 PM
Padmanabhan Kumar, you d.o.n.k.e.y work in US and b.a.r.k please see the ground reality that you and me are in same boat and we are all c.o.w.a.r.d.s irrespective of religious bias!
