The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Former Indian stars back Merchant

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Thursday, Oct 14, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

Former Indian stars back Merchant

By Our Special Correspondent

MUMBAI, OCT. 13. Former Indian stars closed ranks and raised their voice in unison in support of a claim that Vijay Merchant is second to none as master technician and India's best opening batsman ever. Needled by Dilip Sardesai that Merchant was not good against fast bowling, especially against Mohammad Nissar and by a veteran journalist Raju Bharatan who recalled Lala Amaranth's belief that Merchant was not comfortable against swing and spin bowling, Madhav Mantri, Madhav Apte, Polly Umrigar, Nari Contractor, Syed Mushtaq Ali and historian Vasant Raiji asserted that Merchant was a true stalwart.

In what was essentially a celebratory Legend's Club event at the C.K. Nayudu Hall, Cricket Club of India, to mark the 94th birth anniversary of Merchant on Tuesday, cricket aficionados who came in good numbers found the interactive session compered by Raj Singh Dungarpur turning out into an interesting session in which the main protagonist under scrutiny was Merchant. Sardesai's probing question straightaway put an end to any detailed discussion on `Who was a better opener, Merchant or Sunil Gavaskar?.'

The main speakers, Mantri (83), Apte (72), Umrigar (78) and Raiji (84) and Mushtaq Ali (89) fielding questions on telephone from Indore, have seen Merchant and Gavaskar in their pomp. Raised in the old school, they felt that since Merchant faced bowlers on uncovered wickets, scored 2,385 runs in 41 innings in what was regarded as the wettest summer in England in 1946, was self taught, he's by far the best opening batsman India has produced.

Raj Singh recalled what Alec Bedser told him a few years ago: "Other than Don Bradman, Merchant is the best overseas I have bowled to. He made situations hopeless for me.''

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