Nadkarni - most economical: 32 overs, 27 maidens, 5 runs, no wickets

By A. C. de Silva

CRICKET: Bowling can be a tedious job in Test cricket with the accent being on batting. However, in the past there have been some blowers who have impressed with their penetrative bowling which has kept the batsmen quiet for quite a while. In India in the sixties - the, 1963-64 Test series between India and England, there was a bowler, actually an allrounder by the name of Bapu Nadkarni who once had the English batsmen quiet for quiet a while.

Bapu Nadkarni was a slow left-arm bowler and he had returned the figures of 32 overs 27 maidens 5 runs and no wickets against England in the Test match in the 1963-64 series.

This is considered a record of some sort as Nadkarni's figures show that he didn't give any room for the batsmen to score freely.

Bapu Nadkarni was born on April 4th 1932 and he was known to be a fine left-arm bowler having made his debut for India against New Zealand in 1955 only by chance as the experts have said.

India's great allrounder Vinoo Mankad reported sick and Nadkarni was roped into the team. Nadkarni bowled for long in the Delhi Test, but his left-arm variety did not fetch him a wicket. He went out of the 14 when Mankad came back.

Yet, the Delhi Test will be remembered by Nadkarni. He was not dissatisfied with his bowling, for the Ferozshan Kotle wicket was a heartbreaker for any bowler. He did not get a wicket all right, but he could have got a century on debut.

Nadkarni was batting on 68 when Polly Umriger - the captain, declared the innings. Why Umrigar declared is a debatable point.

The Indians scored a lot of runs, and the first innings of the Test got over after tea on the fourth day.

That was a sore point. But thereafter, Nadkarni played 40 more Tests, facing a couple of setbacks in between.

He played nine Tests against New Zealand. Indeed the allrounder's debut and final Test appearance were against the Kiwis. The names of Bert Sutcliffe, John Reid, John Guy, Harry Cave, MacGibbon, Alan Haynes and Alabester come to mind immediately. "These guys were competitive and fruendly, too. At times I wondered whether we were really playing Test Cricket or having fun. "Nadkarni quipped.

The Kiwis won the series 2-nil with the Kiwis having no clue to Subash Gupte, Vinoo Mankad and Dattu Phadkar at Bombay and Madras, Nadkarni was not when Pankaj Roy and Mankad scored 413 runs for the opening wicket, which was a record then.

It was only 10 years later did Nadkarni get his chance to play the Kiwis and this time he played all the four Tests. He played 24 Tests in the intervening period and he had fairly established himself in the team. He was dropped in the 1961-62 series for which he cannot give a reason but he was called for the Madras Test. The most astonishing performance of the series came from a Madras youngster then - Venkatraghavan. "It was fine spin bowling by him on the Kotla wicket. V. V. Kumar's spell against Pakistan probably comes a close second." Nandkarni said on that occasion.

Batting records

Nadkarni has had a hand in some records in batting too, besides his bowling. In 1961-62 series against England Nadkarni and F. M. Engineer put on 101 runs for the 8th wicket and then in the 1963-64 series Nadkarni and B. D. Chandrasekhar put on 51 runs for the tenth wicket.

Then in the first Test at Madras, in the India - Australia series of 1964, Nadkarni was in fine form with his bowling and took 5 for 31 in the Australian first innings total of 211 and in the second innings total of 397 by Australia, Nadkarni had the outstanding figures of 54.4 overs 21 maidens 91 runs and 6 wickets. But it was somewhat sad for Nadkarni on this occasion, as he was in the losing team. India made 276 in the first innings and only 193 runs in their second innings in the second innings, thereby losing the Test by 139 runs with 2 hours to spare.

Second Test at Bombay - Australia 320 (Nandkarni 24.5 overs 6 maidens 65 runs and 2 wickts) and 274 (Nadkarni 8 overs 6 maidens 5 runs and no wickets.)

India: 341 (Nadkarni 34) and o in second innings score of 256 for 8 wickets.

Third Test at Calcutta: Australia 174 (Nadkarni 2 overs, 0 maidens, 8 runs and no wickets) and 143 for 1 wicket (Nadkarni 8 overs 6 maidens 5 runs and no wickts.)

India: 235 (Nandkarni 24).

In the fourth Test India made 344 (Nadkarni 34) and 463 for 4 wickets and England 451 (Nadkarni 58 overs 30 maidens 97 runs and 3 wickts)

Then came the Fifth Test at Kanpur and it turned out to be Nadkarni's best match as far as his batting was concerned. India were saved by Nadkarni.

England made 559 in their first innings with Nadkarni's bowling figures being 57 overs, 22 maidens 121 runs and 2 wickets. India made 266 in their first innings with Nadkarni making 52 not out, then following on, it was the turn out Bapu Nadkarni to show his fine capabilities with the bat and he really saved the Indians from losing, getting a star-studded knock of 122 not out in the second innings total of 347.

After his courageous batting in the first innings where he weathered the storm of the England bowlers, the Indians decided that Nadkarni should go on as number three in the second innings and what a superb performance he gave with the bat! He scored his first Test century 122 not out when the Indians were forced to follow-on and helped them to save the match.

Nadkarni batted for 5 and a half hours and altogether spent 11 hours at the crease in the match.

Nadkarni played his last Test series in New Zealand in 1968. India won the series 2-1- the first Indian triumph abroad. In the first Test Ajit Wadekar got a century and Pataudi was among the runs and then there was that partnership of 80 between Ramakant Desai and Nadkarni. Bishen Singh Bedi and Nadkarni took the wickets. India lost the second Test but won the third Test and the series.

Nadkarni played 41 Tests and took 88 wickets at 29.07 apiece. He also scored 1,414 runs coverage 25.07.