Thursday, July 2, 2020

TOO LATE THE HERO

 

Ramnarayan Venkatraman

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Rajender Goel By V Ramnarayan


He was an outstanding left arm spinner who never played for his country. Rajender Goel, who passed away recently, would have walked into the national side of any cricket playing country other than India in the 1960s or 70s, the period when he only had to step into a ground to grab wickets by the fistful. Like Padmakar Shivalkar, the other great left arm spinner of the time to be ignored by the national selectors, he was overshadowed by Bishan Singh Bedi, arguably the greatest exponent of the craft in the history of the game. I’ll go further and suggest that both Shivalkar and Goel would have played for India today, even with Bedi around. For one thing, there is so much more cricket being played now that there’s plenty of room for everyone. Also, selection committees, coaches and captains tend so much more to opt for a horses-for-courses policy than their 20th century predecessors. Dropping an off spinner of the calibre and record of R Ashwin in any form of cricket would have been unthinkable fifty years ago. Yes, Bedi was a great bowler, but he was around for so long that the selectors ought to have fielded one of the other two at some stage of that illustrious career, at least in domestic series. Such a move would not have jeopardised India’s chances. Except at the tailend of their careers, they would have surely brought some freshness and eagerness into the attack. Unfortunately, the one time Goel found his way into the squad, the selectors decided to go in with two off spinners and one leg spinner in the series opener at Bangalore against West Indies. They must have decided not to risk the embarrassment Goel could have caused with a rich haul of wickets, when Bedi, out for just one game, returned for the next. My favourite captain MAK Pataudi must equally take the blame.
They were two different types of bowlers, Goel quicker through the air and slightly more round-arm than the more classical Paddy Shivalkar of the lovely flight and loop. Of the two, I believe Shivalkar was a better bowler on good wickets while Goel was deadlier on helpful tracks, even more accurate than the very accurate Bombay spinner, though very little separated the two. Both were class acts. Shivalkar had to battle harder and longer, kept out of the Bombay XI for long by Bapu Nadkarni. I think Goel, too faced a similar problem, until Bedi moved from Punjab to Delhi, and Goel to Haryana, though I cannot swear to the veracity of this claim. Their first class cricket statistics are phenomenal, and both had long and distinguished careers. I had the dubious distinction of achieving a king pair of dismissals by Shivalkar in one of the two matches I played against him, but luckily did not face Goel’s bowling. (Incidentally, when he, VV Kumar and I played together for State Bank of India, I effortlessly earned a promotion to no. 9 in the batting order with my superior show in the nets).
I was equally lucky to get to know Goel Paaji as we all called him. I don’t think I have met a nicer, more innocent man at that level of cricket. He had no malice in him, and left all his aggression on the cricket ground, where, however, he gave no quarter to batsmen. I first met him during the Indian probables camp at Chepauk in September 1977 before the team to tour Australia under Bedi’s captaincy was selected. He was my brother Sivaramakrishnan’s roommate at Hotel Connemara where 33 of us were lodged. It was a gruelling conditioning camp, though not perhaps by today’s standards. After the first two days, Paaji’s calf muscles had become painfully stiff and rock-hard, and he had to miss a few days of training. He waited anxiously for us to return to the room, and asked a flurry of questions to us. “Is everyone fit? Parth (Parthasarathy Sharma)? Kaka (Mankad)? Pras (Prasanna)?” He would be crestfallen to learn that none of us had any serious fitness issue. He was so childlike that he gave a different answer, in true Basil D’Oliveira style, each time someone asked him how old he was. “Why did they bring me here? I was so happy in Rohtak,” was his plaintive refrain.
The last time I met Paaji, he was playing a Ranji game at Chepauk. He was into his forties, and though he was still among the wickets, I asked him if he was planning to retire any time soon. “Haan bas, bahut ho gaya. I’ll call it a day now.” “You’d better think twice about it,” I teased him.”Venkat is breathing down your neck, and he has plenty of steam left in him.” That was it. Goel’s fiercely competitive instincts were aroused. “To hum khelenge zaroor,” he declared defiantly. And proceeded to establish a record unlikely to be broken by anyone.
Goel was genuinely without bitterness at missing out on playing for India, an honour he richly deserved. “With Bishan around, I can’t complain. He was the best in the world,” was his usual response to any commiseration offered. True, BCCI tried to make amends by honouring him and Shivalkar with lifetime achievement awards, but playing for India would have been the sweeter reward. Farewell, Paaji.
Bina Nair, Sunipa Basu and 51 others
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  • Ashok Kaushik
    Another great read Ram. I never got to see Goel Paaji bowl (unfortunately). Your prose brought him to life. 🙏
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    • 17 h
    • Ramnarayan Venkatraman
      Many thanks. I'm seriously considering a book--if I can find a publisher.
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      • 17 h
    • Ramaswamy Dharmarajan
      Ram, I have always admired you as a brilliant cricketer who deserved greater appreciation and recognition for your cricketing skills. I now recognise your literary and narrative skills are just as good, if not better. Care to call me over for your book launch. Wishing you all the very best..
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      • 1 h
  • N Jagannath Das
    Well done Ram. Really enjoyed it
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    • 17 h
  • Arvind Ram Kumar
    A neat piece of the unsung heroes of domestic cricket..
    Took bagful of wickets but never recognised by selectors. Was indeed an interesting read..
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    • 17 h
  • Ramakrishna Sataluri
    What a wonderful read Ram ji. So beautifully narrated. Such a nice tribute from a great spinner to two great spinners... I didnt get to see them but your narration has already placed an indelible picture in my mind! The Anakapalli officer is a very go… 
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    • 17 h
  • Praveen Rao
    Nice tribute to Rajinder Goelji and Shivalkar. I have watched dozens of Ranji and Duleep Trophy..Goel ji was fastish and I loved Shivalkar..flight and the loop..!
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    • 17 h
  • Srikumar Narayan
    Wonderfully penned as usual Ram ! What memory!
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    • 17 h
  • Ramesh Ramachandran Kurumbal
    Very good Article on Goel. Had he been tried in the Delhi Test things would have been different because The Calcutta and Madras test were played on a helpful wicket. After that lot of Spinners were tried Its a pity that he and Shivalkar were never trie… 
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    • 16 h
  • Ramakrishnan Harihara Iyer
    I used to closely watch his performance. He is a Karna in Indian cricket....
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    • 16 h
  • Ramakrishnan Harihara Iyer
    Your pen too deliver superb deliveries!!!
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    • 16 h
  • Vistasp Hodiwala
    I was so waiting for this piece. This is such a beautiful, beautiful tribute! Rich, warm, heartfelt and exquisite in details. ❤
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    • 16 h
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  • Sunipa Basu
    I have a friend whose writing is superlative! But what does he write about? Sport, & Music. The subjects I'm an absolute duffer in! So I miss all those great write-ups !😭
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    • 15 h
    • Ramnarayan Venkatraman
      I'm sure I can't write as well as your friend, but can I try writing on subjects you prefer?😊 Do let me know.
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    • Sunipa Basu
      Ramnarayan Venkatraman
       Of course the writer of superlative posts is you! But I can't dictate what friends should write about! To each his or her own interests! But do enormously enjoy your posts which don't have cricket or music in them!
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      • 4 h
  • Sundar Hariharan
    Very well expressed
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    • 15 h
  • Ramanathan Venkatachalam
    Lovely Ode to a deserving master. Ramnarayanji your words will add to the peace of Goel's soul up there.
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    • 14 h
  • Prasad Nambiar
    I feel the much celebrated spin quartet should have been sacked or to put it mildly should have been given a break a after a miserable and disastrous tour of england in 1974
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    • 14 h
  • Anbu Selvan
    There were pitches and occasions where his trade might have served well......
    Even better than the fab 4.
    Two offies ok...two lefties not ok?!… 
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    • 14 h
  • Prabhu Ramamurthy
    Nice tribute Ram. Rajender Goel and Padmakar Shivalkar were great spinners. But could not make it to test level due to the presence of spin quartet.
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