Vishwanath’s admiration for cricket and its passionate patrons is ‘Wrist Assured’

By K.R. Nayar

Gundappa Vishwanath’s autobiography 'Wrist Assured' is one of the finest cricket books released recently. So what prompted me to write about this book? Vishwanath's words were transformed into a book by someone very close to me - R. Kaushik, a brilliant cricket writer in India.

Kaushik has a deep passion for the game, something that I have personally experienced while travelling with him for almost all the World Cup matches and numerous cricket series' around the world spanning three decades, staying with him in the same hotel. It was a delight to read his narration of Vishwananth’s cricket journey. 

Secondly, this book was given to me by Shyam Bhatia, another passionate lover of the game. Bhatia, an Indian businessman based in Dubai and who has created a cricket museum here, was presented with this book by Vishwanath himself. This book travelled from India to Dubai soon after it was published with a personal note from Vishwanath.  

Shyam Bhatia's with 'Wrist Assured' that will be part of his museum library. 

Thirdly, Vishwanath was a player whom I deeply admired. Like it was for many aspiring cricketers, he was my inspiration, and his artistry as a batsman and sportsmanship led me to love the game deeply. Every moment from Vishwanath’s life has been beautifully captured and narrated by Kaushik, revealing aspects of this genius' life that many wouldn’t know about.  

Gundappa Vishwanath's hand-written message to Shyam Bhatia . 

Vishwanath has visited Shyam Bhatia’s museum on a number of occasions. There have been times when Vishwanath and his brother-in-law Sunil Gavaskar would spend long evenings with Bhatia recalling tales from their playing days. However, the joy of reading it all from Vishwanath’s autobiography was special. Kaushik's special writing style beautifully brings out some interesting incidents from the genius' life as well his views on certain matters, all making it a must-read book. For those who grew up reading about and watching Vishwanath during his playing days, this book will take you on a nostalgic journey. As for the youngsters today who dream of making it big in cricket, this book will provide loads of inspiration. 

Son of a stenographer

In fact, this book was so riveting that I felt everything written there was news to me. Vishwanath is Bengaluru based now, but few people know that he was actually born in an industrial town called Bhadravati in the Shimoga district of Karnataka. In his lucid style, Kaushik brings out his determined journey to become a great player despite being born into a big family of four brothers and three sisters, his father working as a mere stenographer, and the numerous odds against him. Vishwanath proved that one does not need to be the son of a rich man to become great. 

The launch of ‘Wrist Assured’ in Bengaluru (from left) BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal, co-author R Kaushik, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and former India captain Kapil Dev and G.R. Vishwanath

Vishwanath candidly admits that 'tennis-ball cricket made G.R. Vishwanath the batsman'. As Kaushik words it.... “A short young lad keeping ball after ball, down, out of reach of the hovering silly mid-off, silly mid-on fielders, seemed to catch their fancy." Vishwanath viewed being short in stature (5.3ft) differently and says “when not tall… that made me stand out a little more.”

No bath after touching hero Neil Harvey

While he was a hero for many, I always wanted to ask Vishwanath who was his hero. Unfortunately I have not been able to do that yet. While reading this book I got to know that it was Australia’s Neil Harvey whom he admired not by watching on television but only by listening to the radio commentary. In 1960, just before Vishwanath’s 11^th birthday, he got to see Harvey in a match between the visiting Australian team and the Indian Universities team being played near his home. He narrates how he managed to touch Harvey while he was coming out of the team bus and then ran home excited and did not take bath for two days for the fear of washing away the feel of touching his hero!

Neil Harvey

Another touching incident talks of how Vishwanath was not selected for the State School team just because he was short and too young despite his talent. “What will I tell his parents if something happens to him?” was the remark from the Chairman of the selection committee. In fact, before the age of 15, this little genius stood at just 5ft two inches even after wearing a boot. Yet Chandra Shetty, a cricket enthusiast who owned Spartans Cricket Club in Bengaluru, approached many to let Vishwanath play. Talking about Chandra Shetty, Vishwanath says: “if you take coaching out of the equation, he was to me what Ramakant Achrekar was to Sachin Tendulkar.”

Debut double hundred

The chapter ‘The making of G R Vishwanath' has some very interesting tales about his Ranji Trophy debut against Andhra Pradesh at the age of 18 with a knock of 230, which was also the highest score by a player on a Ranji Trophy debut. Vishwanath talks of how Andhra’s fearsome pacers Venkat and Gupta, on seeing the slight figure of an 18-year-old coming out to bat. said to each other, “Let’s give him 10 runs, then we will get down to business”. The same bowlers had to later eat their words. They then went on to say: “This boy is not getting out at all. First 50, then 100, on to 150 and now 200!.” At the end of the innings, Vishwanath was presented with a bat autographed by players from both teams, something that he had with him for years till he parted with it for a charity auction.

Reading about Vishwanath’s first meeting with Tiger Pataudi was truly delightful. After watching a fine knock from him, Pataudi told him that he should get stronger and work out at a gym. Sensing Vishwanath’s reluctance to go to a gym, Patatudi suggested: “Fill up two buckets with water; lift one with each hand 20 times in a row. Do this three to four times a day regularly.” Vishwanath says that he had heard that Pataudi was a great prankster who loved playing practical jokes. So although he was not too sure about Tiger's suggestion, he decided to try it out. Vishwanath saw the difference in just one month as the ball was speeding off the bat faster and his wrists had become stronger!

On Pataudi and Wadekar

Another fascinating incident that Vishwanath describes is about how he made his Test debut mainly due to Pataudi's insistence. It seems Tiger told the selectors “I don’t want him to merely warm the benches. If he is in the 15, he’s playing.” In his debut innings at Kanpur against Australia, Vishwanath scored a duck in the first innings and people hurled matkas (earthen cups) at him on his way back to the pavilion. But in the second innings he cracked 137 and the crowd cheered for him all the way. Vishwanath then says: “If you want the crowd on your side, keep scoring.”

Tiger Pataudi 

Thereafter Vishwanath takes us on a journey through many of his remarkable series', taking us back to those thrilling days. Most of my friends and I, even today, can rattle off the number of boundaries and deliveries he played in some of his great knocks in Test cricket. Other memorable incidents include the stunning 1971 series win over West Indies and England under Ajit Wadekar's captaincy, the arrival of Sunil Gavaskar, and many more.  Vishwanath refutes the usual comment about Wadekar as a ‘lucky captain’ saying: “Luck had no role to play. Ajit was more than a competent batsman, a shrewd strategist, as well as a tremendous motivator.”

Square cut and late cut

Once when I was in school, Vishwanath had come to play at the University Stadium in Trivandrum in an exhibition match against Ceylon. Vishwanath hit a 90 in that match. So that I could watch his footwork, especially his square cut and late cuts, I positioned myself very close to the sight-screen only to be amazed at how he played them everytime. Later in the book, Vishwanath talks of how Pakistan skipper Asif Iqbal, in the 1979-80 tour, placed one slip and four gullies to neutralize these shots. On the late cut, he says: “I enjoyed the late cut as much as the square cut. To me it’s more a delayed version of the parent stroke.”  Confessing that the one stroke that he would have loved to play is the straight drive, he says how envious he is about Sunil Gavaskar who plays it so elegantly.

The beauty of Gavaskar’s batting

Vishwananth's description of Gavaskar’s knock of 101 in Manchester in the 1974 tour to England is a great read: “It was a stunning exhibition of how an opening batsman, how any batsman in fact, should play swing bowling at a pace when the dice is loaded against you. It was poetry in motion, whether he moved forward or back in defence – be it when he showed immaculate awareness of where his off stump was when he chose to offer a shot, be it when he leaned into drives after getting to the pitch of the ball and cutting out the possibility of late movement that might put the slip cordon in business.”

Another touching moment is when Vishwanath describes the 42 all out at Lord’s and the 3-0 series defeat to England in 1974 that led to skipper Ajit Wadekar announcing his retirement. Then there is the chapter where he talks about his unbeaten knock of 97 against the West Indies in Chennai, which is hailed as one of his finest knocks. He begins the chapter by asking: “I am not sure what would have happened had 97 not out in our first Test of 1975 been replaced by, say 101 not out. Would it have invited the same romanticism?"

On Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar

In the 1977 -78 tour of Australia under Bishan Bedi, India lost the series 2-3. That is when Vishwanath talks about Kapil Dev: “Everyone felt he should have been on the flight to Australia; it would have been the perfect start.” Then he describes Kapil and his debut series against Pakistan in late 1978: “He descended on Indian cricket like a breath of fresh air with God-given athleticism, searing pace and a beautiful outswinger…” He concludes saying: “I feel really privileged to have played alongside two of the greatest cricketers of all time – a batsman as accomplished as Sunil, and easily the most versatile allrounder of my time, Kapil.”

There is another chapter in which he describes a dinner with Don Bradman along with his wife Kavita, Sunil Gavaskar, and his wife Pammi. At the time he met Don, he was going through a string of poor scores and Don had advised him to not think of the past but concentrate on what’s ahead.  The result was that he played a knock of 114 against Australia at Melbourne. Dennis Lillee, the greatest pacer, lauding Vishwanath’s skill, had told him: “Little giant man, I like you a lot even when you make runs against me; you are made of steel.”

Drama by the five selectors 

The other beautiful chapters in this book reveal his strong belief in his principles. Known to walk away (walker) when he knows he is out, he says how he still feels embarrassed over not walking despite knowing he was out to S. Venkataraghavan in a Ranji Trophy match. Vishwanath is well known for recalling Bob Taylor during the golden jubilee Test against England in 1980 while captaining India. India lost that Test match, and at the end of the Pakistan series in 1983, Vishwanath was dropped. Recalling a hilarious incident after that, he says, “Each of the five selectors called Kavita (his wife) to say they tried their best to push for my inclusion, only for the others to shoot it down! I am still wondering how despite all the selectors wanting me to play against the West Indies, I didn’t figure in the squad! If you work that out, please give me a shout.”

I am Vishwanath not Vishnawath

Vishy’s humourous touch is also well described in an incident with Richie Benaud during the 1979 England tour. Every evening, when everyone would gather to watch the highlights of the day, he heard Benaud, who was the commentator, referring to him as Vishnawath. This irritated Vishy, and later one evening while leaving the dressing room for the coach, Sunil Gavaskar, who knew Benaud well, introduced Vishwanath to him. Vishwanath, returning the greeting, said: ‘Nice to meet you Mr Bednau.’ Benaud quickly corrected him saying 'my name is not Bednau but Benaud', to which Vishwanath said: “I am Vishwanath, not Vishnawath.” After Vishwanath boarded the bus, Benaud came searching for him and said: “Beauty... that was brilliant. I like you.”

 Newspaper and Vishwanath

Vishwanth was liked by almost all cricket fans as a player, as a human and a friend. In the concluding chapter, he describes how, as a youngster, he would be thrilled when his name appeared in the newspaper. But he also realised that he needed to score atleast 30 or take two wickets to get his name in the newspaper. “If I wanted to see my name in print, I had to score big. I loved reading my name.. even today when I see my name in print, I feel electrified. Honestly.”

That’s Vishwanath who has always been frank and honest. The concluding paragraph of the book sums up the humility of this batting genius elegantly: “I will be eternally indebted to the sport I love for giving me my identity, and to the Almighty for giving me cricket, above all else."