C. D. Gopinath: The last voice of India’s first Test glory fades away

By K.R. Nayar

Mumbai. It was while writing the book ‘318-Whispers of the Indian Test Cap’ that I searched deep into the life of C. D. Gopinath. Little did I imagine that within months of putting his journey into words as the oldest living Indian cricketer, he would pass away on April 9, 2026, at the age of 96. Cricket has lost a whisper from its earliest heartbeat.

C.D. Gopinath 

Now, Chandrakant Patankar, who is 95 years and 132 days old, is the oldest living Indian cricketer. Among the oldest Test cricketers in the world, he will be third after Australia’s Neil Harvey, who is 97 years and 187 days old, and New Zealand’s John Leggat, who is 95 years and 307 days old. The secret behind Gopinath’s longevity must be the joy with which he lived life every day. He was a member of the team that secured India’s first-ever Test victory in 1952, beating England by an innings and eight runs—his contribution being a valuable 35 runs.

India has beaten England many times after this triumph, but on April 9, following the passing away of Gopinath, a living chapter of Indian cricket’s first glory also came to a close. Gopinath joins Vinoo Mankad, who took 12 wickets in that match (8 for 55 and 4 for 53), Polly Umrigar, who hit an unbeaten 130, and Pankaj Roy, who scored 111, as past heroes of this golden moment in Indian cricket. That was the moment when Indian players believed that their team could also beat the mighty. They were men who turned hope into history. Incidentally, Gopinath, who was the youngest in that team, was involved in a vital 93-run stand with Umrigar in that match. He also took the catch of England’s Brian Statham that sealed the victory.

Extract from 318: Whispers of the Indian Test Cap 

One of Gopinath’s prized possessions was the ball from that match, which he had kept as a souvenir after getting all his teammates to sign it. A few years ago, he revealed that the signatures had faded away over time, but not the signature he recorded in India’s glorious moment. When asked to recall that day and all that had happened in his life, all he would say in Tamil, with a smile, was “thala ezhuthu” (destiny).

When one goes through his career journey, one cannot help but admit that what he mentioned about destiny is so true. He was not keen on cricket, and as a teenager, he was more interested in tennis, hockey, and football. Cricket became part of his life after he was persuaded to open the batting for his team at Madras Christian College. He hit 60 runs in that match, and within four years of that knock, he played for India. In fact, he had even told his college captain that he was not a cricketer!

Gopinath’s square cut had many admirers, and people would comment that he could read the length of a delivery better than a top astrologer. His batting was more like a conversation with those who came to watch him. His determination was made of steel. He spoke his mind and even declined a tour to the West Indies in 1952–53, protesting against selection biases. It is difficult to imagine any cricketer do that it now. It is said that while captaining Madras in the Ranji Trophy, he used to tell his bowlers, “Take wickets and not bowl maidens.”

Gopinath has once commented that all one got for a good performance then was a pat on the back, and the match fee was just Rs 250. But he wanted to play the game without bitterness, enjoying every moment of the contest. 

Off the field, he held top corporate posts like Managing Director of Gordon Woodroffe and Chairman of the Madras Chamber of Commerce. It was the commitment he showed in cricket and the discipline that he followed which made him successful in these positions too.

Gopinath lived his life deeply attached to sport. He played competitive tennis till the age of 90 and also played golf. He went on to live in the serene hills of Coonoor, in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu, alongside his wife Comala, who was a champion golfer. He was a huge admirer of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and a supporter of Chennai Super Kings. Though he held a piece of Indian cricket history, he never announced his importance. He believed in simplicity, though he was the bridge between eras. His life will remain as a lesson whispered across generations as a man who gave Indian cricket the belief and confidence that India can win.