A Story of the Legendary Holkar Cricket Team - Dr Avinash Chitale

This is an important book because it places on record the story of the Holkar team which came into existence in 1943 and played in the Ranji Trophy 14 times, making it to the final on ten occasions and winning it on four, which is a pretty strong record. The book traces the Holkar team's history, key players and their statistics and bios. The cover of the book has the insignia of the Holkar kingdom perhaps, Jai Malhar, and pictures of the two men who were instrumental in making Holkar the force it was - Maharaja Yashwantrao Holkar and Cattari Kankaiah Nayudu aka the legendary CK Nayudu. 

The Maharaja was the patron and CKN, the visionary. The author Dr Avinash Chitale, is an avid cricket fan and a former University and first class player who went for the Combined University selection from Rajasthan University and played one first class match for Madhya Pradesh in 1961-62. It's obvious that he had ample skill as a cricketer but it is his great passion for the game and for Holkar and Indore cricket that is most endearing. He is a highly educated man who did his BE from BITS Pilani, ME from MS University Baroda and PhD from DAVV Indore. He served the SGS Institute of Technology as HoD, Production. The book places on record financial support in its publication to her Highness Maharani Usha Devi Holkar, Satish Chandra Malhotra and the Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Educational Trust. 

The story begins in 1923 when, CK Nayudu, born into an affluent Telugu family from Nagpur (his father was Chief Justice of Indore for some time), and known for his cricketing prowess, was invited by the Maharaja Tukojirao Holkar to coach his son Yashwantrao Holkar. The 28 year old CKN took up the assignment, was made Major in the Holkar Army and went about playing cricket, becoming the first captain of an Indian team and winning many laurels. Fit, disciplined and immensely talented, CKN retired from the game at 57 years of age in 1952 - and - made a comeback at the age of 61. His career lasted 50 years! The Nayudu family was full of cricketers - CK's son, CN Bobjee Nayudu, younger son Prakash Nayudu, brothers CS and CL Nayudu, grandson Vijay Nayudu - all played first class cricket, his nephew Govind Raj played for India and his daughter Chandra Nayudu was the first woman commentator.  

But it was only in 1943, when CKN was 48 years of age that the thought of putting together a Holkar team came up. on the request of the Maharaja. CKN put together a core team consisting of himself, CT Sarwate, Hiralal Gaekwad (Nagpur), Nimbalkar, Kamal Bhanderkar, Sanjay Dhanwade (Maharashtra), Rangnekar (Bombay), Arjun Naidu, Kuppuswami Naidu (Rajkot) Mushtaq  Ali, JN Bhaya, MM Jagdale (Indore) and others such as Ramesh Pratap Singh, Devi Singh Dahi, Salim Khan, Nivsarkar, Kunzru, OP Rawal, Ravi Vaid, Shungloo, Sayed Ibrahim Khan, Kanta Swarup Bhatnagar. As mentioned earlier, in its 14 years, this team won 4 titles and made the final ten times. CKN led for 40 games and Mushtaq Ali for 10.

The author has profiled all the major players in great detail, analysing their technique and temperament which adds a refreshing dimension to the book. Interesting vignettes of how Mushtaq Ali was known as a 'balle ka jadugar' (magician with the bat) with his vast array of shots many of which were unconventional, the ambidextrous Rangnekar who could play cricket and badminton at national level, CS Nayudu who played for 8 states and led four of them, are interesting to read. It was a team of all rounders that could bat till number 10, relied on its batting strength (only one pure bowler). Mushtaq Ali was the only one who played all 49 games for Holkar. Their opposition ranks included players of the calibre of Hazare, Adhikari, Gul Mohammed, Mantri, Umrigar, Phadkar, Pankaj Roy and others.

Dr Chitale analyses the various schools of cricket in India - zone wise - and the Holkar school of cricket which he says is bright cricket, based on discipline and hard work. He profiled players in the post Holkar era for the state of Madhya Pradesh - players such as Bhagawandas Suthar,  Ramesh Bhatia, Balkrishna Kher, Manohar Sharma, Sanjeev Rao, Amay Khurasia. He considers Captain Manohar Sharma as the foremost in this lot, as someone who had made it all the way but to the national team, by dint of his own hard work. Captain Manohar Sharma was known to me as a senior administrator. He was my manager in the Under 25 tournament at Madras in 1984-85. I knew him well as a pleasant, dignified and supportive gentleman who knew his cricket, but knew little of his history and wish I had read this book when he was alive. Captain Sharma led Vikram University, played Ranji for three states - MP, Services and Hyderabad, Zone and played for the Board President's XI against Sri Lanka, England and the West Indies. 

I was pleasantly surprised to find my name mentioned in the book based on my blog about my manager Captain Manohar Sharma. Though I did mention there that I would like to visit the various grounds when I visited Indore I did not, primarily because we stayed on the IIM campus which is far away from everything. But next time, with Dr Chitale, I hopefully will! 

Mention - and interestingly Capt Manohar Sharma is also in the pic to the right

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book. I am very impressed by Dr Avinash Chitale who put together this valuable book at his age, inspired he said by the one and only Sushil Doshi. Dr Chitale's enthusiasm is evident from the fact that he called me and told me of his book and I ordered it online. I got a signed copy by the author himself. Thank you so much Dr Chitale and my congratulations to you on writing such an important book. I now carry lots of memories from the book of the players, the place and the culture. Wishing the book and you all the very best and hoping to meet you sometime.