Former Pakistan Captain and Former ICC President.
One of the joys of playing sports at the highest level is to not only develop life long relationships in the game and outside it but also be able to rub shoulders with the greats of the game.
And the kind of camaraderie with those who play with and against you.
Mine as a cricketer at international level or for that matter when I started on the domestic circuit in Pakistan is thankfully blessed with love and affection with those I played with and also competed against me at the top level.
I am proud and privileged to reveal that amongst those in my list of many is Syed Mujtaba Hussein Kirmani,India’s most successful wicket-keeper batsman,lovingly known as “KIRI”, whose indelible mark as one of the best keeper and one of the most impressive behind the stumps is etched my mind for life.
Short he may be in height but a giant in his own right as a keeper-batsman to fly the flag of his country India with pride and with a performance which I would say is second to none.
For him it was never an easy road to follow when taking over the mantle of his hand in gloves from his predecessor Farouk Engineer.But in over two decades of cricket at the highest level he turned out to be the best in business by having 160 catches behind the stumps and 39 stumpings to go with it at Test level That is besides his exploits in 49 ODI’s and domestic level achievements
When at the crease,I as a batsman was always concerned by his presence standing up behind the stumps and gathering the deliveries of spinners and pacemen with equal ease.Be it Errapali Prassana,Bhagvat Chandrashekhar,Bishen Bedi or Venkatraghavan or Kapil Dev and Mohinder Amarnath,Kiri stood up like a champion.Rarely faltering in judgement of pace or spin.
And when mattered most he stood like a rock as a champion batsman.
I remember when India struggled against Zimbabwe in 1983 World Cup with seven wickets down at Tubridge Wells in Kent he shared a match winning 126 stand with Kapil Dev for ninth wicket as India won with Kapil making 175 and later were able to win the World Cup.
With a great sense of humour he would be heard behind the stumps passing remarks about the batsmen at the crease and about the players.
In the 1978-79 Test series in Pakistan I started to churn out runs and became a bit of a problem for their spinners,he would be heard behind the stumps telling me,”Zaheer Ab Bass,” meaning,Zaheer please stop now,”
The slip fielders would join him in chorus.
That friendship with Indian cricketers I developed has become a life long relationship.And Kiri,a down to earth and a modest individual is as good a friend even now as when I first met him.
From his 1976 debut against New Zealand in New Zealand and record equalling six victims behind stumps in only his second Test,Kirmani continued to excel for India till his career ended.
A Test century against Australia,and against England as a nightwatchman are his memorable batting feats and declared the best keeper of 1983 World Cup and an award from Sir Godfrey Evans,one of England’s best was a just reward for Kiri.
I also remember the 1978-79 the Faisalabad Test when Sunil Gavaskar got me caught by Chetan Chauhan at long on when I was four short of century.Which remains Gavaskar’s only wicket in Tests.
When Bishen Bedi the captain put Gavaskar on to bowl,I told Kiri,look now that a non-regular bowler is on I may become complacent and get out too.
That is what exactly happened as I lost my wicket.
What an impressive career you have had to receive PADMA SHRI award and A Col C . K.Nyidu Lifetime achievement award.
Proud to have you as my friend. Be blessed and Best Wishes.
