Cricket captain led India to their first series wins in England and West Indies
Ajit Wadekar, who has died aged 77, was a markedly different cricket captain of India to his princely predecessor, the Nawab of Pataudi, and considerably more successful. He was a dour man from Mumbai who was superstitious to the extent that, when told by an astrologer to delay the 1971 tour to England by two days, he did as he was told.
Such changes to the scheduling of a tour would not be permitted nowadays, but his standing was such that the governing body did not object. Wadekar was vindicated too, because India won a test series in England for the first time. He was fortunate with the weather
– they might well have been 2-0 down but for rain – yet they won the third and final match at the Oval by four wickets, and with it the series 1-0.
Given that England had won the Ashes in Australia under Ray Illingworth the previous winter, it was some triumph. It came just months after Wadekar had led India to a 1-0 victory over West Indies in the Caribbean. For the first time, India could be dubbed ‘‘world champions’’.
Victory at the Oval was achieved as the festival of Ganesh, the elephant-headed god, was being celebrated in India. The stars, it seemed, were aligned.
A left-handed batsman who came in at No 3, Wadekar had scored 85 in the first test at Lord’s, played poorly in the second at Old Trafford, but then hit 48 in the first innings at the Oval and 45 in the second.
After he was run out on the last day he went to sleep in the dressing room. He was woken by Ken Barrington, a former England cricketer, congratulating him on his triumph. At the same time children in India, it was reported, ‘‘garlanded wireless sets over which the cheery voice of Brian Johnston had proclaimed victory’’.
According to John Snow, the great England fast bowler of the period: ‘‘Ajit was a quiet batsman, not in the top flight, a worker of the ball rather than a thumper. His personality reflected the way he played: quiet and gentlemanly, and he led through example.’’
Much about the India captain was oldschool. His moustache and bearing gave him the appearance of a military officer and he was fortunate in the men he had at his command: Sunil Gavaskar was one of the world’s best batsmen, and in Bhagwath Chandrasekhar, Bishan Bedi, Erapalli Prasanna and Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan he had four classy spin bowlers.
Wadekar led his country to another victory over England, in India in 1972-73. Afterwards Snow noted wryly that ‘‘it was a typical reaction in India’’ that a statue of Wadekar should be erected in the city of Indore after his first victory over England, only for it to be defaced after defeat on their next tour in 1974, when they were bowled out for 42 at Lord’s and lost all three tests. Wadekar was immediately dropped and his house in Mumbai was stoned.
Ajit Laxman Wadekar was born in Bombay, now Mumbai, the son of Laxman Bhassar Wadekar, who would joke about his cricketing initials, but who wanted his son to become an engineer. Ajit studied science at college, but was soon excelling at cricket. He was brought up to play in the mould of Vijay Merchant, an outstanding Indian batsman who believed that the ball should never be hit in the air. Wadekar made his first-class debut for Mumbai in 1958-59.
His first appearance for India came against West Indies in 1966 when he dropped Clive Lloyd, who was also making his debut, and India lost a test in at the CCI ground in Mumbai for the first time. The great Garry Sobers, captaining the touring team, took pity on him because of his tatty cricket boots and offered him another pair. ‘‘It was a wonderful gesture,’’ Wadekar said.
He went on to make 2113 test runs at an average of 31.07, scoring one century. In all first-class cricket, he made 15,380 runs at an average of 47.03.
Having worked with the State Bank of India even while playing, Wadekar largely stayed away from front-line cricket after his retirement, concentrating on his banking career. In 1992, however, he was drawn back as coach and then manager of India, working with captain Mohammad Azharuddin during a successful period for the team until 1996, and spending a year as chairman of selectors in 1998-99.
After the stoning of his house, he came up with the idea of getting like-minded sportsmen to live under one roof. In fast-paced Mumbai, he developed an apartment block on the seafront.
He lived in a penthouse one floor above Gavaskar, who still referred to him as ‘‘captain’’. In response, and rather out of character, the dour Wadekar would often joke: ‘‘I am the only cricketer on top of Sunil!’’
He is survived by his wife, Rekha, whom he met at college, and by their three children. – The Times,Telegraph Group
In retirement he lived in a penthouse one floor above the great Sunil Gavaskar. The dour Wadekar would often joke: ‘‘I am the only cricketer on top of Sunil!’’