The Grand Reunion of the 1982 All Saints Team

1982 was a life changing year for me. I was selected to represent the school cricket team and everything changed. Had it not been for that year my life and my perspective to life would have been so different. 

The school team was led by Ehtesham, and had stars like D Suresh, Masood and Srinivas Chakravarthy, all state players. Ehtesham and Suresh were playing Under 19, while Masood and Chakravarthy were Under 15 state players. All Saints High School had a huge cricketing legacy and had produced Azhar and a number of first class cricketers so I felt lucky to be part of the team. I was just happy to be wearing whites and playing proper cricket for the school - my dream of 'Tom Brown's School Days' achieved. I don't think I had any bigger ambitions than that.

Meeting before the game - Denzil, me, Rajesh, Suresh, Ehtu, Joel, Brother Joseph, Noel, Rub

Toss - Rosary Convent in the background, always an inspiration for us

My classmate from XC, Abdul Rub was a regular opener and wicket keeper for the school, the handsome and strapping Farrukh Ali Khan bowled medium pace and Rajesh Chetty, who had joined in the tenth from Nagpur, was a medium pacer and batsman. Ehtesham was from the A section and so was Srinivas Chakravarthy, who had joined from HPS, Ramanthapur that year. Suresh and Joel and Rahi were from B section. Subodh and Michael were from D section if I remember right. Masood, Ifti, Noel, Yuvraj and Ashwin were junior to us.

The team - Standing - Milton (not part of 1982 team), Masood, Denzil (not part of 1982), Noel, Rajesh, Iftekhar
Sitting - Me, Joel, Farrukh, Suresh, Brother Joseph, Ehtu, Abdul Rub, Michael

Rahi came late so a standing pic -Rahi at left corner

We had a pretty imbalanced side - five medium pacers, four off spinners, a rather suspect middle order, but we managed to shock HPS Begumpet that year in a league match. HPS B had a Ranji player in Hari Prasad and state players like Swaroop, D Srinivas, Mohan Natraj, Rajeshwar as far as I remember. Team to team we were much weaker. 

On the day we were to play the league match against them at the HPS, B grounds, quite dramatically our Rector Brother Vincent called us in before we left school, and told us that if we win against HPS, he would give us whatever we asked for. We did not believe we could win, but I believe the seed was sown.

Brother Joseph in action

Openers Rub and Noel

While we gazed awestruck at the confident HPS boys, they bundled us out for 126 before lunch and in the three overs before lunch they got to 30 for no loss in an authoritative fashion prompting their other team members to tell their skipper they would like to go home while the openers finished the match. But in the first over after lunch I got Srinivas out LBW, and a couple of overs later I got two more wickets - Swaroop and Mohan Natraj. When Chakkar got Hari Prasad caught brilliantly at short mid wicket by Subodh, the tide had turned and they collapsed to 70 all out. I got 5-25 and Chakkar got 4-19. Woohoo!

We were jubilant. It was a Ganpathi Visarjan day if I remember right and we could hardly wait to get back to school and report our great achievement to our Rector. Brother Vincent was visibly proud of us. We asked to see a movie 'Jaws' (wonder why, because it was scary) and walked all the way to Parameshwari theatre from school the week after. After the movie we went out for dinner at Mohini restaurant and ate biryani and two ice creams each.

After the game

Suresh was the umpire

Later that year, the same team was also the winner of the Montfort tournament held in Nalgonda. We got Little Flower out for 12 and then got St Alphonso out for 25. If I remember right we all went and watched 'Ek Duje Ke Liye' after the final and got immensely sad. It was a sad ending to the movie and we were also coming to the end of our schooldays.

I have all the paper cuttings and am glad I saved them. It was great growing up and being part of winning teams as fourteen and fifteen year olds and we cherished those moments. 

On quite a few Saturday afternoons we would play 25 over games against Little Flower Junior College. On Sundays we would play league matches. Every time we won a match Brother Joseph would give us money - enough to go to Taj Mahal in Abids and eat a dosa or buy doughnuts at John's Bakery. During the Sunday games we would go to Bombay Cafe and eat Tandoor roti and mutton curry (never had anything that quite tasted like that before). Abdul Rub was our lunch captain and he would order 'Tandoor Mutton' - in style. And on matches during school days, we would go and eat at the highly subsidised State Bank of Hyderabad canteen at Gunfoundry. Green Stores and the beautiful Rosary girls were definitely inspiring and we scored many runs for girls we imagined behind those windows. If only they knew how much we wanted to impress them and do for them - pure love! 

Runners up

Winners

There was one league match we won in the last over. They needed two runs to get and the last pair was batting. I tried hard to avoid Ehtu's look but he called me to bowl. I did not want to bowl the crucial over until I heard Ifti coming over to me full of faith in my abilities - 'Get him Hari. You can get him. I know you will get him.' I think Ifti's faith in me gave me a lot of confidence and off my second ball that batsman played on and we won the game by one run. A few other such games we pulled off. Ifti was also the guy who revealed what a supporter was - not the fans and supporters types - but the athletic ones. Ifti that way was my early guru!

I remember Masood's powerful pulls and flicks and his bowling - he was my skipper at the Under 15s and we shared many tours. He was instrumental in getting me to play in the state Under 15 team and I repaid him a bit by getting us the first innings lead in the final! Abdul Rub's mischief and his hook shot. Ehtesham's huge six over Fine leg off a quick Rajeshwar in HPS, B and his trademark flicks and pulls. And his cool, phlegmatic captaincy under pressure. Suresh's impeccable straight drives, his joy when I got selected for South Zone Under 15 - I remember where we met - in the shade beside the church just as I exited the tunnel and Suresh was ahead of me. Sheer joy. He was most helpful - I used Suresh's kit through those years when I didn't have one at the Under 19, 22 tours. Chakkar, always helpful and my friend, confidant and advisor for all those years. Chakkar gave me ball by ball advise against HPS, B, and helped me get my admission in engineering college. Subodh, wiry and combative as ever. I remember the catches he took in HPS to get rid of Hari and Rajeshwar. Michael's slingshot action and outswinger and his flat batted shots. Joel's classical off spin and fun loving, genial ways. Rajesh running through the opposition at the Montfort tournament and his affinity for Mithun Chakraborty which got him the sobriquet - G9. Farrukh, always smiling and around - he did not play much that year owing to a serious injury he had suffered the previous year. Rahi and his trademark bustling action which has not changed a bit and his genial persona. Noel, small, tiny, scurrying around after the ball diligently. Yuvi's pulls to fine leg even as a youngster which impressed me.

Many more memories..cannot forget Jani Miya (they'd call him Handball...hopeless). Brother Joseph's presence and vision and love stood by and pervaded all that we did and continue to do so. What he believed in - that sports teaches you self-esteem and all of life's lessons - stands validated in what we all did thanks to cricket. Huge thanks Brother.

....

Anyway our team never had a group pic that year so when Rub came to town from Saudi after years (I last met him thirty five years ago) I got the idea that maybe we could all meet. Joel and Rajesh hopped on, Ehtu was fine. Brother Joseph was aboard and said he would play too. We reached out to everyone - Masood and Subodh were in the US, Suresh in Chandigarh, Michael in Vizag. Brother Joseph himself was away in Kerala till the 28th so 29th was fixed. Rub was already in town. Locals - Ehtu, Rajesh, Joel, Farrukh, Rahi, Noel, Yuvraj, Chakkar were contacted. Subodh said he could not make it and so did Chakkar. Yuvi had some official engagement and could not make it. 

But the rest of us landed up at the school on the 29th at 3 pm in our whites - most had to buy new pairs. Denzil, the ASHS cricket coach kindly made all cricketing arrangements. It was good to have our cricketing legend Milton Balm along with us.

Michael and Milton

Rub and Michael

Joel and Michael

Tea at St Paul's

A group pic was taken and then we made teams - one led by Ehtu and one by me - and played a seven over game. Masood was in monstrous touch and got 22 and they finally made 73.We started with Rub and Noel and then Ifti scored 24 in 8 balls with a few huge sixes. I finished off the game with two balls to spare and we won. Unfortunately Farrukh slipped and fell and hurt his shoulder and had to retire early. A small timepass ceremony with cups etc and then we headed to St Paul's High school to change and have tea. Brother Joseph hosted us there. Some delicious tea and cake and we were off to the Sailing Club where Rajesh sponsored the evening - very generous of him.

Ehtu speaking 

Suresh and Brother Joseph

Brother Joseph and Rub

Sailing Club was full of fun and stories. It turned out that six of us from that team played first class cricket - Ehtesham, Suresh, Me, Srinivas Chakravarthy, Noel and Yuvraj in that order (amazing how Masood didn't), three of us from that batch - Ehtu, Suresh and me - were part of the Ranji Trophy winning team from 1987 (there were six from All Saints in that team - Azeem. Khalid, Venkatapathi were the others and seven if we counted Azhar who was on national duty). There was one International in Noel and a junior International in Masood. Quite an achievement for one team.

A final pic outside Sailing Club

Forty years since then, we have all come together, having journeyed all over and having survived life. Ehtesham went on to play many Ranji matches, was in Dubai, is now a businessman and part of the HCA - as a selector or Director of junior cricket which was his last post. Masood, narrowly missed playing first class cricket but represented the USA in cricket, and is now Director IT at the University of Maryland, USA. Suresh, played for Hyderabad in the Ranji Trophy in the season it won the Ranji Trophy, and is now an IAS Officer and Principal secretary with the Government of Haryana. Abdul Rub gave up cricket after a while, and is a successful businessman settled in Medina in Saudi Arabia. Subodh Bhatnagar (USA, could not make it to the reunion) is a successful IT professional based in New York. Srinivas Chakravarthy also played for Hyderabad in the Ranji Trophy, and is a successful businessman who ran a popular bakery. Rajesh played league cricket for a while and is now a successful businessman who has a paint manufacturing unit. Joel played varsity cricket for Kakatiya University, and is now in the insurance business and has a finger in many pies. Farrukh has a successful interiors business called Task Force and some manufacturing units. Michael is in an administrative position at Oakridge School, Vizag. Iftekhar is an Officer with the SBI and was playing league cricket until three years ago. Rahi Prakash worked with the Microsoft and is now on his own - a successful IT professional. Noel played for India and was Chairman of Senor Selection committee and Coach and is with cricket administration. Yuvraj played many first class games for Hyderabad, was a selector, and is now an Officer with the AG Office. I write, teach, blog, coach.

Milton said he took voluntary retirement from the Railways. Denzil is the coach at All Saints and has produced many cricketers. Brother Joseph is the soul behind the Montfort Institutions.

What a story! Forty years. It felt like I was just there yesterday. They all seemed like how they were then. I don't know if I am stuck in a time warp, but its beautiful.

Much fun through the day. An idea to start a Trust proposed by Suresh to help needy All Saints alumni was discussed. More details soon but I'll end this here. Thanks everyone. This one was special. And for Abdul Rub, our class hero, for sparking it off, a special mention.