Cricketers remember 'inspiration' Polly Umrigar

Mumbai -- Former India cricket captains Bishan Singh Bedi and Gundappa Viswanath led their colleagues and the nation in paying tributes to late skipper Polly Umrigar, calling him a "perfect gentleman" and the "inspiration" behind younger generation of players.

Mumbai-based Umrigar died of lymph cancer Tuesday at the age of 80. He played 59 Tests matches between 1948 and 1962 and captained India admirably.

"I would like to remember him as the most perfect gentleman the game has ever seen. He was a giant of Indian cricket and was a true servant of the game in every possible capacity," Bedi told IANS.

"I didn't see him play but interacted with him a lot when he was the manager during the West Indies tour (in 1970s) where I was captaining the side," said the legendary left-arm spinner.

Viswanath, who was also in the same team, said his place in the annals of, at least Indian cricket, was assured.

"He was one of the pillars of Indian cricket, if not world cricket. He was our manager on the tour to West Indies and Australia and he was the main inspiration behind us," he said, remembering the right-handed batsman.

Former India batsman Brijesh Patel, also a teammate of Bedi and Viswanath in the national side, recalled his abilities as an able cricket administrator.

"He was on the board that started the National Cricket Academy (in Bangalore in early 2000s) and he helped me a lot to take it in the right direction," said Patel, who was a director in the new NCA set-up.

"He was a good administrator as well and was always there to take the best out of any player. Umrigar is immortal. He maybe no more with us but the memories that he has left behind will inspire another generation."

Umrigar, once held the unique record of most Tests played, most runs scored and most centuries, before former India captain Sunil Gavaskar and later Sachin Tendulkar broke them.

"I miss Polly kaka the most," said Gavaskar, who lives in the same Sportsfield Apartments as Umrigar's family.

Former India off-spinner Erapalli Prasanna, who also had the chance of interacting with Umrigar the team manager, said that besides batting he could bowl all kinds of deliveries.

"He could bowl medium fast, off spin. In fact, he could bowl all type of deliveries. He was also a very good reader of the wicket and a very good slip fielder."

Of Umrigar's batting exploits, Prasanna recalled the century he scored against the West Indies in the fourth Test at Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, in 1962.

"I still remember the unbeaten 172. I can clearly visualise every shot that he played in that brilliant innings. Though he was at the fag end of his career, the innings spoke volumes of his calibre," he gushed.

"This is a tremendous loss to Indian cricket. He was a defined all rounder and a great captain."

Pahlan Ratanji Umrigar, who led India in eight Tests, scored 3,631 runs at 42.22 in 94 innings of 59 Tests since making debut against the West Indies at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai in December 1948. He also captured 35 wickets.

Umrigar was born March 28, 1926 in Sholapur, Maharashtra. He also represented Gujarat, Bombay and Parsees sides.

During a first-class career that spanned 1944-45 to 1962-63, Umrigar played 243 matches for an aggregate 16,155 runs at 52.28. His highest score was an unbeaten 252.

Umrigar continued his association with the game after retirement. He served as chairman of the selection committee, national team manager and executive secretary of the Indian cricket board.