Just before that, around 1966-67, West Indies toured India, they had (Wes) Hall and (Charlie) Griffith. The local crowd (in Vijayawada) would say Hall and Griffith are back again. In those days, there was no television or videos. So the batsmen would look at the opposition nets to see how they bowled. They looked very ferocious. A story goes that one of the fast bowlers told the other, 'this boy looks very small, let him get 10 runs'. The other also agreed. They decided to allow me to get 10 runs, but in no time there was 25 runs on the board. Then they said let him enjoy a bit and this went on the whole day.
Were you ever afraid of fast bowlers?
Not afraid, but I got scared once. On the '71 tour, (Vanburn) Holder was pretty quick that time, upcoming paceman. We played a four-day game against Barbados. Overnight, I was 14 not out. One ball which he dug in short, I went to play back. I thought it would go over my head, but it skidded on. There was no helmet and luckily I saw it at the last minute and went down, I touched the ground with both my hands. It was the last ball of the over.
(Gary) Sobers walked past me and said 'Almost Nari'. At first, I didn't get what he said. Then I realized he was talking about Nari Contractor, that incident of him getting hit. That night I felt I was lucky, I didn't get hit. More than scared, I didn't want to get hurt.
Not afraid, but I got scared once. On the '71 tour, (Vanburn) Holder was pretty quick that time, upcoming paceman. We played a four-day game against Barbados. Overnight, I was 14 not out. One ball which he dug in short, I went to play back. I thought it would go over my head, but it skidded on. There was no helmet and luckily I saw it at the last minute and went down, I touched the ground with both my hands. It was the last ball of the over.
(Gary) Sobers walked past me and said 'Almost Nari'. At first, I didn't get what he said. Then I realized he was talking about Nari Contractor, that incident of him getting hit. That night I felt I was lucky, I didn't get hit. More than scared, I didn't want to get hurt.
Jeff Thomson bowled one spell in 1977-78, the quickest I have faced. That evening, (Bob) Simpson was in the same lift and he asked me, 'How did you manage that? I kept two fielders there (short leg and silly-point) and Thommo got all the Pommies there (out of 40 wickets, he got 28 caught there), but you are dropping it down, beautiful. What control!' I said, thank you. That sort of makes you feel good. You enjoy hearing those things.
Dennis Lillee once called me, 'little giant man' and said, 'I like your brother-in-law (Sunil Gavaskar), but I like you much more. You are made of steel.' These kind of compliments stay with you. They make you feel, thank God I played and I'm still alive.
Dennis Lillee once called me, 'little giant man' and said, 'I like your brother-in-law (Sunil Gavaskar), but I like you much more. You are made of steel.' These kind of compliments stay with you. They make you feel, thank God I played and I'm still alive.
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