'Cricketer’s learning curve used to be incomplete without an English tour'

The moment the name Nari Contractor comes up, one can only think about how deadly the gentleman’s game could be. A Charlie Griffith bouncer in a tour game in West Indies tour of 1961-62 ended the batsman’s international career.

But courageous as he was known to be, Contractor cheated death on that occasion. However, it was during the 1959 tour to England when his bravery had first come to the fore.

In the second Test at Lord’s, opening the innings, an awkwardly bouncing Brian Statham delivery stuck Contractor on his ribs when he was on zero. He broke three of them. But the left-hander went on to score 81, the highest for India from the total first innings score of 168.

“The Lord’s pitch had a ridge on one side and if the ball landed on it, it bounced awkwardly. And that’s what happened with me,” Contractor, 78, remembered it as if it happened just a few years back. “Keith Miller called it the bravest knock ever witnessed at Lord’s,” Contractor told DNA.

Miller was then quoted saying Contractor should have received Victoria’s Cross for his bravery.

Contractor said, “In those days, we would rarely get a chance to play in England, we believed that education in cricket was incomplete till we didn’t play in England.”

Contractor felt that the conditions in England were always treacherous in some sense. The 78-year-old, who played in 31 Tests, said uncovered strips and unpredictable weather didn’t help their cause as they had very little protection too.

“Helmets were an unknown commodity then and we players made thigh guards with a chunk of sponge or rubber. English players knew our weakness against fast bowling so it was a mean task,” said Contractor, who was the first Indian captain to register a series win over England in 1961-62.

What made matters worse for Indians then was the fact that the pitches were of 21 yards and the no-ball rule favoured the bowlers. “Statham and Trueman were difficult to tackle with such rules and next to nothing protection and pokkal (frail) bats as compared to what is available today,” Contractor explained.
And it was the challenge posed by these difficulties and weather variations that Contractor, like every other player, sought to overcome.

 “There were times when we entered the ground and we could only see green grass all over. Only when the groundsman would erect the stumps we would get to know that that was the pitch on which we were supposed to play on,” Contractor said with a chuckle.

The southpaw feels that to get such challenging conditions now is not possible probably. “The pitches now are prepared and you get to know how they’ll behave a day in advance,” Contractor said. Bats, equipments and everything in the game makes the centre an easy place to be in, feels the southpaw.

The English sojourn was a rare commodity. In those days, the league cricket in England didn’t take lesser known players and Counties never got permission. “Players like Vinoo (Mankad), Polly (Umrigar) and (Vijay) Hazare were invited to play in the leagues but not everyone was so lucky, therefore, for many of us the English tour was the biggest thing to happen,” Contractor said.

Talking of the current Indian side touring the Ashes-conquering England, Contractor felt that a lot would, like always, depend on the triumvirate of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman. “It will be a contest of their bowlers versus our batsmen,” Contractor said of the 4-match series.

Contractor said that the absence of Virender Sehwag would mean more responsibility on the trio. “Sehwag on top would always relieve pressure on the rest of the side, but in his absence, India will be found wanting on top,” Contractor explained.

He said that English bowlers with home advantage would exploit the conditions and make early breakthroughs.

However, Contractor said he felt that the current crop of English fast bowlers isn’t as quick, but they can be deceptive. “They ran through the Aussies time and again during the Ashes and would definitely be on a high,” Contractor said. He still rated the famed Indian batting trio to better James Anderson, Chris Tremlett, Stuart Broad and Tim Bresnan.

But what if the trio fails is what worries Contractor the most. Suresh Raina with his knock in the practice game has impressed Contractor. “We will be experimenting on top in Sehwag’s absence, so that makes us vulnerable and if two of these three legends don’t stand up, like they have done for so long, India are in trouble,” Contractor explained.

He said what worries him more is that how India will cope up with the retirement of the three. “After the quartet of Chandra, Bedi, Prasanna and Venkat ended their careers, we never found a lethal spinning combo till date. I pray that doesn’t happen when Sachin, Dravid and Laxman hang up their boots,” Contractor said.

Though he said that players like them come once in a blue moon, but it is about time that the new crop showed more intent. “These guys should score when it matters and in the limited chances they get,” Contractor said.

He added that remaining fit all the time would also play the key. “Look at what’s happened to Yuvraj, one of the most stylish yet destructive batsmen and because of his injuries, he has remained on sidelines for such a long time.”

As the final word, Contractor said that MS Dhoni should remember that the West Indies Test series triumph should not be counted much as it was the poorest Caribbean side he ever saw.
Contractor says this series, whatever the result may be, will surely call for a new world order in Test cricket.