1983 World Cup Team Mate.
I’m very happy that Syed Mushtaba Husain Kirmani is writing his autobiography. I think, in my opinion, he is one of the greatest cricketers India has produced, and not because I played with him. He is one of the best wicket-keeper batsmen of all times I should say, and especially in his time was the best wicket-keeper batsman in my opinion. I know for sure, so many times he saved India from the brink of defeat. Everybody knows the 1983 World Cup story of how he had partnered Kapil Dev for the 175 not out. He and Madan Lal and Roger and everybody. He was awarded the best wicket-keeper award at the hands of Godfrey Evans. They called it the golden gloves award and he’s taken some outstanding catches. I’ve seen Kiri as a fan from the younger days. I think he made his debut in 1976. I’ve seen some amazing catches when Kapil was in his peak, especially Chennai Test matches, where the ball used to be deadly. We just used to say ‘c Kirmani b Dev’. The number of such wickets is something fantastic and he makes keeping look very easy and you have to understand that he kept against one of the best spinners in the world, Chandra Prasanna Bishan Singh Bedi and Venkat Raghvan. And especially keeping to B S Chandrashekhar is not easy because he’s a freakish kind of a bowler as everybody knows, and the kind of stumpings and catches that Kiri has taken, he makes keeping look very easy, he made keeping look very easy. That is the greatness of Kirmani. His batting technique, he had his own technique on how to play fast bowling, genuine fast bowling, the Holdings of the world, the Roberts of the world, and how as a night watchman he has gone and scored centuries for India those days. The most important quality of Kirmani is the most unassuming character, most non-controversial character, and he will never interfere with anybody. He has own ways, and keeps things very clearly, does things very quietly and keeps them clean, and he will never raise his voice, and I’ve never heard him raise his voice. Ever popular with all the cricketers, all the fans too and a fantastic person he is. Kiri you’re being a great guy, you and your wife Habiba have been fantastic and I’m happy for you and your family members and children and grandchildren that you’re coming out with the book. I think in my opinion it should have come out long back itself. I’m very happy that he’s coming with an autobiography. If we start talking about Syed Kirmani, you can keep on going out for hours together so I think it’s great. In my opinion he is one of the greatest wicket-keeper batsmen the world has produced and the most simple, simple human being and he as I said is a fantastic person. Good luck and God bless you Kiri.
Krishnamachari Srikkanth
