Last selfie and a laugh with Dilip Doshi whose wisdom was beyond cricket

By K.R. Nayar 

Dilip Doshi, who passed away on Monday, June 23, was not just one of India’s finest spinners but a cricketer with amazing qualities. I was fortunate to have interviewed him on a number of occasions over the years. Each of those conversations invariably turned into a discussion on what makes a good cricketer, rather than just an outstanding spinner.

 

My selfie with Dilip Doshi at Cricket Club of India (CCI) in September last year

My last interaction with him was in September last year, at the Cricket Club of India, Mumbai during the launch of ‘Sunny G’, a book by Dubai-based businessman Shyam Bhatia. We were meeting after many years. Since I knew that he would always be well-dressed, I remarked that I had also dressed well that day — unlike earlier times, when I would usually be in a T-shirt. With a smile, he said, “I am happy to see that you are improving,” and broke into a hearty laugh. I took a selfie with him, little knowing that would be my last one with him.

 

I was fortunate to know a lot about Doshi from the late Dubai-based businessman I. P. Khaitan, who had played alongside him in Kolkata. Khaitan was well known in UAE cricket circles as the sponsor of the UAE team that played in the 1996 World Cup. In 2018, when veterans in the UAE came together to form the Forty’s Club with Khaitan at the helm, he revealed an interesting aspect about Doshi — who had made his Test debut only at the age of 32.

 

When Forty's Club was launched in Dubai 

Khaitan spoke about the importance of continuing to play at any age. Doshi had once told him, “Never count your age — just keep working on your skills.” He said Doshi was able to debut at 32 because of his relentless commitment to staying ready for the big stage.

 

Years later, in one of my interviews with Doshi, I brought up that comment. I had hoped he would talk about how to polish the art of spin bowling, but instead, he turned philosophical. “If one can be fit and focused without bitterness, one can achieve anything,” he said.  The conversation then turned to how a player can remain calm under pressure and avoid showing emotion on the field. This was evident in how he handled Pakistan’s Javed Miandad, who often tried to taunt and sledge him. Doshi, unfazed, simply went about his job — cool and composed.

 

Dilip Doshi...smooth action. Photo: X

Doshi was a voracious reader, and every time we spoke, I would come away with insights more about the philosophy of life rather than cricket. There were times when he would refer to the writings of Rabindranath Tagore. I remember one of his classic remarks: “Cricket is a game that can be used to refine oneself.” His habit of dressing well, too, was rooted in his worldview. 

 

India and England players observing a minutes silence in memory of Dilip Doshi before Day 5 of the Test match

Playing county cricket in England — for Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire — had influenced him a lot. He believed that to be a cricketer, one must behave like a cricketer. What he meant was to be a gentleman to the core. He always wore finely tailored suits, often pairing them with a silk tie or scarf. This earned him frequent comparisons with actors — and he loved it.

 

There is a famous quote from Sunil Gavaskar about Doshi where he says: “Dilip was easily the best-dressed cricketer in the Indian team. While the rest of us would travel in tracksuits or casuals, Dilip would walk into airports in a blazer and scarf, as if heading for a board meeting or a royal ball.”

 

When asked about the long wait before making his Test debut — and whether he had given up hope after turning 30, Doshi once said: “I always believed my time will come.” His wait was indeed worth it. He went on to take 114 wickets in 33 Test matches, along with 22 wickets in ODIs. Doshi will forever remain an embodiment of perseverance, poise, and elegance in a sportsman.