It's another true story!! 😃😃
#GRVisvanath known fondly as Vishy, was an artiste par excellence. He was an emotion in an era when TV was in its nascent stage, as was the creation of a superstar by the media. Despite all this, Vishy was adored, idolised and was almost a cult.
#GRVisvanath known fondly as Vishy, was an artiste par excellence. He was an emotion in an era when TV was in its nascent stage, as was the creation of a superstar by the media. Despite all this, Vishy was adored, idolised and was almost a cult.
I first saw Vishy live in the nets when I was 12 years old. India had a camp in the MAC stadium before the Australia tour of 1977-78. As a kid, I was fascinated, watching him bat in the nets as he was talking to DD Parsana! Of course, too young to appreciate his artistry then.
But what struck me was that he was doing something unique. Talking and batting simultaneously. Like Phil Collins drumming and singing at the same time! A year and a half later, or maybe two,I saw Vishy bat in a test match live. against WI in Chennai. The pitch was bouncy, lethal.
I can still see one particular shot in the eye of my mind even now. A rearing delivery from almost good length on the off stump and Vishy is jumping high in the air and, and, and, he flicks it past mid on! Bacchus from short leg runs behind the ball and stops the boundary.
Vishy runs 3 and scores 124 on a track that had a vicious mind of its own. I get to meet him in the early 80's and from that time to this day, he has never ceased to amaze me as an individual. Modest to a fault, witty, and always making others feel great.Played a few against him.
Fast forward to 1988, Eden Gardens: Wills trophy final. Kar v Board Pres XI. Vishy mentioned the previous evening that he was calling its quits after that game! Karnataka were set a target of 280 odd by us. I was hoping that Vishy would churn up his magic one last time at Eden.
Vishy was in form coming into that game, having scored a couple of 50's. I was at short mid wicket, Vishy walking out to bat. I am hissing under my breath, "Good luck Vishy, a 50 please". In a few minutes, Vishy tries to run a ball down to 3rd, chops the balls on to the stumps.
Vishy was extremely disappointed. I am just short of tearing my hair down. He walks past me with a wry smile as if to convey, "Sorry W". Suddenly I realise that I have to congratulate my teammate who got his wicket and I did. I am in a match that has to continue & I need to play.
We won the game but it took some time to get over the disappointment of Vishy getting out too soon.That's cricket for you, cruel at times. Wrong times mostly. Vishy retires from cricket, becomes a selector. His benefit game was the Ind v Eng ODi in Gwalior in 1993.I didn't play.
Towards the end of that game, Vishy asks me to get a bat signed by both sides. Could not get it done but I had a couple of bats with me earmarked for someone else from England. Later in 2008, I shifted residence and I see a bat signed by both Eng & Ind from that 1993 series.
I was surprised to find it and it so happened that Vishy was the match referee in the IPL games at Chennai. I called Vishy and mentioned to him that I had something really special to give him. We met and when I gave him the bat, he was overwhelmed and thanked me profusely for it.
In today's era, numbers are all consuming, but in Vishy's case what needs to be considered is the impact he made. If Sir Viv Richards was majestic like a lion, Vishy was like the peacock - splendorous, beautiful and a great spectacle. The legend, the genius. Like Sir Viv.
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