By K.R. Nayar
From Thiruvananthapuram
A final is
usually just a battle for the title. But the third edition final of the Caravan
Cricket Club T20 tournament for the Hassan Shah and Ashok Varma Memorial Trophy
was far more than a contest for a title. Played at the Kerala Cricket
Association’s St Xavier’s Cricket Ground in Thumba, it became a celebration of
memory, legacy and the enduring spirit of Kerala cricket.
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Kerala Cricket Associaton Secretary Vinod S Nair and former BCCI Secretary S.K. Nair release '318 - Whispers of the Indian Test cap' during the final of the Caravan Cricket Club All Kerala T20 tournament
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The clash
between Little Masters Cricket Club and Muthoot Microfin Cricket Club was
intense and absorbing, with Little Masters eventually emerging champions by 45
runs. Yet long after the scoreboard settled, what lingered was the presence of
men who once lifted Kerala cricket from obscurity and placed it firmly on
India’s cricketing map.
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Gayatri Varma, wife of Ashok Varma and Vinod S Nair, presemt the winners's cash prize of Rs 1,00,000 to the captain of the Little Masters Crcket Club
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For me, the
day carried a deeply personal resonance. It was not merely another tournament
final, but a return to my own beginnings. More than four decades ago, along
with D. Harikumar, I. Sadique and P. Shaheer, together we had formed this club.
Watching Caravan Cricket Club successfully stage the third edition of its
tournament was a moment of quiet pride. The nostalgia deepened when the present
officials and members of the club extended the honour of releasing my
book, 318 – Whispers of the Indian Test Cap, after the final — a
gesture that felt both intimate and profoundly meaningful.
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| Founding members of the Caravan Cricket Club. From left: D Hari Kumar, P. Shaheer, yours sincerely and I Sadique |
The greats
who graced the occasion were not distant legends, but people with whom I have
shared dressing rooms, cricket fields and administrative responsibilities
before my journey into journalism began. Gopal Jasapara, the man who
conceptualised this book, travelled specially from Dubai to be part of this
moment — a gesture that spoke volumes of friendship and shared passion.
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| Gopal Jasapara, who conceptualised the book, addresses the gathering |
Vinod S.
Kumar, Secretary of the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA), carried a dual
responsibility that evening. He handed over the winners’ trophy to Little
Masters CC and released the book, standing alongside his predecessors —
administrators who, like him, played defining roles in Kerala cricket’s growth
and glory.
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| Vinod S Nair receives a copy of the book |
S. K. Nair,
who rose from the KCA to become Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket
in India (BCCI), received the copy of the book from Vinod. He was joined by
former Kerala skipper S. Ramesh, all-rounder P. T. Godwin, Arts College captain
and pacer Premnath, and KCA member Pramod. For Vinod, the joy was doubled — the
club he had shaped, Little Masters, had crowned the day by becoming champions.
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| S K Nair took the audience on a nostaligic trip |
The
tournament itself is held in memory of two men whose love for the game was
boundless — Hassan Shah, former president of Caravan Club who passed away in
2010, and Ashok Varma, an enthusiastic cricketer who loved cricket as deeply as
he loved every member of the club, treating them as his own brothers but left
us all in 2022.
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| S Ramesh, who had led Kerala in a record number of matches, narrates stories from the past |
One of the
reasons I chose this final to release the book was to honour the role both
played in shaping me into a cricket-obsessed journalist. When Varma’s wife,
Gayathri, presented the winners’ trophy, the moment became quietly emotional,
lending the evening an added layer of grace and remembrance.
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| Zulfi, son of Hassan Shah, played a vital role in the success of the third edition of the tournament |
Hassan Shah
was a man who breathed cricket. An ardent reader and listener, he introduced
me, during my college days, to the stories and deeds of many cricketers who now
find a place in this book. He never missed a BBC commentary, read voraciously
in an era without the internet, and when television first arrived in Kerala, he
was the first to bring home a black-and-white set. His house became a sanctuary
for young cricket lovers. The doors were always open, and I was one among the
many youngsters who spent entire days there, watching matches from morning till
evening. As the game unfolded on screen, Shah would narrate little-known
anecdotes about the greats. Much of what I recount in this book — those unseen,
unheard details — is rooted in those afternoons spent at his home.
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| Former Kerala allrounder P T Godwin receives a memento from Sadique |
Every writer
needs a listener, and Ashok Varma was among my earliest. His curiosity went
beyond scores and results. He asked about players, personalities and moments.
His enthusiasm was infectious, pushing me to dig deeper, read more and learn
constantly. A fine and accurate left-arm spinner, he played under my captaincy
for MG College and Caravan Cricket Club and later played a key role in reviving
the club before his untimely passing away in 2022. So, when Gopal Jasapara
approached me with similar curiosity and passion, urging me to write about
little-known stories of Indian Test cricketers, I felt instantly at ease — the
familiarity of that encouragement returned.
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| Premnath being presented a memento by Sadique |
No journey is
solitary. Success, especially in one’s formative years, is shaped by quiet
supporters. S. Ramesh, fondly known as Pataudi Ramesh, taught me a priceless
lesson as a cricketer. Despite my limited repertoire of strokes, he sent me out
to open the batting against top teams, teaching me to give my best with
whatever skills I possessed. The courage to attempt this book is, in many ways,
born from his influence. I have merely tried to give my best.
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| Pramod, KCA member, receives a memento from Sadique |
As an
administrator, S. K. Nair gave me freedom — the rare kind that allows ideas to
grow. Though I was Joint Secretary of the Trivandrum Cricket Association, he,
along with the late A. C. M. Abdullah, entrusted me with chairing key
committees like coaching committee, umpires committee and grounds committee of
Kerala cricket. He instilled in me the habit of being on a cricket field almost
every day — a habit that continues even now, in my life as a journalist.
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| Sadique presents a memento to Madhav Das, ex councilor of Thycaud |
Premnath, my
college captain, handed me the new ball despite me being the junior-most member
of the team. His lesson was simple yet powerful: age is irrelevant; commitment
is everything. P. T. Godwin, with whom I shared roles as player and selector,
taught me resilience — the art of never giving up.
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| Renowned film actor Nandalal leads the club from the front |
In a club,
good qualities quietly pass from one teammate to another. Perhaps that is why
so many members of Caravan have gone on to excel in diverse fields. Today, one
of its most inspiring presences is Nandalal, a leading film actor. His humility
and genuine love for the game, despite being a star, are worth emulating
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| Allen Philip, the tirless secretary of the club |
With leaders
like President Sadique, Secretary Allen Philip, the ever-present Reghulal, tireless
coach Zulfi, and committed members such as K. P. Madhu, K. P. Rajan, Manoj,
Prem and Shaji, it is no surprise that this caravan of joy has journeyed for
over so many decades — and is destined to travel many more. So, the release of
my book in Kerala would not have been complete had it not happened during my
club’s prestigious final, in the presence of the greats of Kerala cricket — a
moment where past and present met, and the journey felt whole. |
| Reghulal and KP Madhu, the men behind organising the tournament, with Nandalal |
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| Little Masters Cricket Club - winners of the third edition |
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| Muthoot Microfin Cricket Club - runners up of the third edition |
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| They made everything happen - Caravan Cricket Club officials |
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| An AI creation about the club, conceptualised by Nandalal and drawn by Shaheer's son Nadeem, that tells the tale of the club from its Thycaud maidan days |
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