'Natural wicket-keeper' Wriddhiman Saha has a lot to improve: Syed Kirmani

Even at the age of 65, former Indian wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani is very particular about his fitness sessions. "My trainer is waiting for me and I have to cut you short. Call me later," Kiri, as he is affectionately known, says.

Yet, the legendary stumper found time to speak to dna on Thursday after being nominated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India for the Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award for 2015. "It is a huge honour bestowed upon me by the BCCI," Kirmani said. "It is a very special award for me as it is named after India's first ever captain, CK Nayudu saheb."

Since his debut against New Zealand in Auckland in January 1976 till his last appearance against Australia in Sydney 10 years later, Kirmani played in 88 Tests and effected 198 dismissals (160 catches and 38 stumpings). During a time when limited-overs was still finding its feet in international cricket, he appeared in 49 ODIs for 27 catches and nine stumpings, the most memorable of them being his exploits in the 1983 World Cup in which he took 12 catches besides two stumpings. The icing on the cake was when won the best wicketkeeper award in that triumphant campaign, receiving the prize from great England gloveman Godfrey Evans.

Looking back upon his career, Kirmani said: "Whatever little service I could render to Indian cricket in the span of 15 years was very satisfying. I look forward to giving back to this great game in any form should any opportunity arise."

The affable stumper from Bengaluru is still regarded as the greatest Indian wicketkeeper, keeping to the likes of the spin quartet – EAS Prasanna, BS Chandrasekhar, S Venkataraghavan and BS Bedi – as if it was a child's play before he began to be equally effective to pacers since the arrival of Kapil Dev in the latter part of 1970s.

Ask him the difference between the way the game was played in his days and now, and Kirmani said: "There is a sky and earth difference between my generation and the current era of cricket. It used to be a very gentlemen era in my time. I played with many legendary cricketers. They all played like gentlemen. That is not to say that there are no gentlemen in the game today."

But Kojak, another nickname for Kirmani, had a point to prove. "The fines imposed on cricketers today are proof enough that there are not many who play like gentlemen," he said. "It is my humble appeal to the current generation of cricketers to bring back gentlemanliness to the game."

Kirmani was someone who always believed that wicketkeepers made the best captain. "When Mahendra Singh Dhoni was named captain, my first reaction was that it was the best thing to have happened to Indian cricket. He proved to be the best captain that I have come across," Kirmani said.

The former national selection committee chairman was also impressed with Dhoni's successor, Wriddhiman Saha. "Saha is looking good. He looks a very natural wicketkeeper. But he has a lot of improvement to make in every aspect of wicketkeeping. Every collection will be a learning process for him," said Kirmani, who was more than a useful batsman, having scored two centuries as a nightwatchman in Tests.

Who can forget his unbeaten 126-run partnership for the ninth wicket with Kapil Dev against Zimbabwe at Nevill ground, Tunbridge Wells, in the 1983 World Cup when the captain scored that epic 175 not out? Kirmani's contribution of 24 not out in 56 balls was worth the weight in gold.

Or for that matter, his unbeaten 63 in Chennai against the West Indies in 1983, the same innings when Sunil Gavaskar scored 236 not out to surpass Don Bradman's then record of 29 Test centuries.
There have been stories of Kirmani being one of the targets of the fiery West Indies pace battery.

"West Indians were pretty annoyed for whatever reason. Michael Holding, a very good friend among the West Indians, bowled beamers at me. He was given not out after the ball brushed my shirt on way to the 'keeper. After one beamer, I left the stump and told him to take it. He bowled a second beamer at me. That's when the captain declared the innings, lest somebody got injured," Kirmani said some time back.

In the same series, in Kanpur, Kirmani was clean bowled by Holding round the legs. Holding has an interesting story to say about Kirmani in an interview earlier this year to Australian journalist Mike Coward.
"Andy Roberts taught me a lot as a fast bowler. He had a lot between the ears and knew a lot about the game. He even helped me get wickets. He had flu and could not play in Kanpur.

He was in the dressing room watching the action on telly. During drinks, he sent a message. He wanted me to bowl round the wicket and attack Kirmani's leg stump. I thought 'How can a fast bowler attack a batsman's leg stump. What is Andy talking about?' Well it is Andy Roberts. I told skipper (Clive) Lloyd what Andy wanted me to do and he said 'upto you'.

"I took the ball, went round the wicket, bowled on Kirmani's leg stump and the second ball, the leg stump went cartwheeling. What can I say? The man, Andy, knew the game and saw Kirmani was shuffling across trying to cover the off-stump because of pace. He did not make the adjustment when I went round. He just kept on shuffling across."

But for incidents like these that happen in legends' careers, Kirmani has been spoken in the same breath as the great stumpers of the game of his era that included Allan Knott and Bob Taylor of England, Rodney Marsh of Australia, Jeff Dujon of the West Indies and Wasim Bari of Pakistan.

Paying rich tributes to Kirmani was his Karnataka and India team-mate, Roger Binny. The former all-rounder said: "Kirmani was one of the best India has produced. He was a naturally fit cricketer and did not have to work very hard for his fitness. Bowlers are always happy to have a wicketkeeper who can support them. Kirmani was known for his keeping against spin. He kept with ease to the best of spinners. Only later on when Kapil came alone, he also excelled keeping to pacemen."

Kirmani is the 20th recipient of the award that contains a trophy, citation and Rs 25 lakh in cash. He joins other Indian greats including his teammates Kapil, Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, GR Viswanath, Mohinder Amarnath, the Spin Quartet, former captains Lala Amarnath, Nari Contractor, Late MAK Pataudi, Ajit Wadekar and Chandu Borde.

BOXES
Stats Tests ODIs
Debut Jan 1976 Feb 1976
Last game Jan 1986 Jan 1986
Matches 88 49
Innings 124 31
NO 22 13
Runs 2759 373
Highest 102 48*
Average 27.04 20.72
100s/50s 2/12 –
Catches 160 38
Stumpings 27 9


PREVIOUS WINNERS

1994: Lala Amarnath
1995: Mushtaq Ali
1996: Vijay Hazare
1997: KN Prabhu
1998: Polly Umrigar
1999: Hemachandra Adhikari
2000: Subhash Gupte
2001: MAK Pataudi
2002: Baba Nimbalkar
2003: Chandu Borde
2004: BS Bedi, BS Chandrasekhar, EAS Prasanna, S Venkataraghvan
2007: Nari Contractor
2008: GRV Viswanath
2009: Mohinder Amarnath
2010: Salim Durani
2011: Ajit Wadekar
2012: Sunil Gavaskar
2013: Kapil Dev
2014: Dilip Vengsarkar