Au Revoir Abdul Azeem

Abdul Azeem was senior to us at All Saints High School - a few years perhaps. His family was full of cricketers - Abdul Jabbar, Azeem (and a couple more I hear). He was a destructive opening batsman and an amazing fielder who, many felt, should have played for India. But above all Azeem was a wonderful human being who did not have a single dishonest bone in his body. No wonder he remains someone who is widely respected, loved and perhaps, even feared.

Hyderabad Ranji Team - 1986, Tellicherry, Azeem (standing far right)

The first time I saw Azeem was back in 1983 when I was playing for MCC as a 17 year old against a star studded SBI at HPS, Begumpet (the ground in front). We were led by ML Jaisimha (Uncle Jai) and had a motley bunch - Arvind Rao, Raghuram, Fazal, Santosh Reddy, Sanjay, Vidyuth, Chakkar, Lachi perhaps. I had no clue who these stalwarts from SBI were but fared decently - got two wickets - including that of Arun Paul. But what we could never forget was being hit by Azeem's batting - he scored a hundred that day - hitting the most audacious shots (I was left clapping at one shot he hit over my head when Sanjay came to me from mid on and advised me not to egg him on with my fan boy behavior. It made no difference to Azeem however as he tore our bowling to shreds and I have not felt as helpless as a bowler as I did that time. Even as a fielder at long off I remember being awestruck by the power with which he hit the ball (it was scary to field those shots even on the fence). So this is the big league I thought. 

Our school had a few swashbucklers from those years - Azeem, Azhar, Shahid. In fact Azeem and Shahid would open for SBI and we would go to watch these two explosive batsmen bat. I got Shahid out a couple of times but my all time regret remains dropping Azeem off my second ball on a return catch in a game at Osmania University. Would have been nice to get his wicket.

What I remember most about Azeem was that he always treated me with respect - never one to have that senior - junior stuff. And he was very helpful too. I clearly remember him telling me when I dropped a catch (we were both playing for some team that Imtiaz put together for a tournament in Machilipatnam) - 'don't think too much. Just tell yourself  you'll take the catch and got for it. What's the worst that can happen -you'll drop it.' Gold. I can never forget that piece of advice ever. Nor his kindness and generosity in sharing his knowledge and experience. One of the few who was always willing to share his knowledge.

HCA Felicitation for Ranji Trophy Winners -25th Anniversary (Azeem second from left in white shirt)

Over those years we bumped into one another many times in league matches, while playing for the Hyderabad team In Buchi Babu, Subbiah Pillai or Ranji Trophy. I remember how clear headed he was - he once walked out of the nets in a Ranji Trophy session because the wicket was bad - Coach Aibara suspended him from the nets for a few days if I remember right - but Azeem would do what he felt was right. Not that he was rebellious or disruptive - just that he felt he had a point and stuck to it.

We had good times during the two Ranji seasons I played. He took a couple of catches off my bowling - I remember  one very difficult one he picked up diving forward in slips against Goa. My last Ranji game next year was also the game when he made a triple hundred against Tamil Nadu is super quick time - against a very good bowling attack comprising of Robin Singh, Raj Kumar, L Sivaramkrishnan, WV Raman. He threaded the field repeatedly in that innings with stunning shots and I was fortunate to watch it all from the dressing room. That same year he scored another typically brave innings in the Ranji trophy final scoring a hundred when Hyderabad was in trouble in the first innings against a Delhi attack that had Atul Wassan, Sanjeev Sharma and Jaspal Singh. Hyderabad won the game and the Ranji Trophy - it has been our only win post Independence. 

Then he went his way and I went mine and our meetings grew less frequent. But when we did meet it was always warm and affectionate. We met again when HCA felicitated us for winning the Ranji Trophy in 2008 or so - all of us met that time.

Azeem did stints as a coach and as a selector. He was straightforward and honest and I am sure he must have been a difficult  nut to crack for some - and true to his nature resigned when he was perhaps asked to do things he did not agree with. When I was brought in as Chairman of Selectors for the HCA in 2012, I took over from Azeem if I remember right and we had a long conversation at the Uppal stadium, sitting in the chairs by ourselves, watching some game. He told me what to expect and how to go about it. I asked him to give me names to look out for because I fully trusted his judgment (in later years I heard that Md Siraj was his find). He did not sound too happy about the way he as being treated but knowing Azeem, it would not have bothered him much.

A while ago I heard he was having health issues - kidney trouble they said. I met him at Anand's son Milind's wedding and we had a long, long chat. He told me how he was averse to receiving a kidney from his daughter who was willing to donate her kidney - he was very clear on that. I told him to be open, to look at all possibilities and see what happens. He sounded optimistic and we decided to catch up.

Was it something I read about him - I think it was something about his health condition - but I called him after and we had a very long conversation about everything - cricket, selection, health, healing - so many things. It almost looked like he did not want to put the phone down and after close to an hour I finally told him I would come and meet him at home. He said - you always say that but this time you must come. And I was so clear that I would meet him at his house, got some directions and said we had a date. He was warm and affectionate as always when he put the phone down. He sent me many press reports about him in international papers after that. Fabulous reading.

And then we met again at Bobby Rao's (MV Narasimha Rao) book launch. This time he was more hopeful, said he had decided to go for the transplant and sounded very optimistic. We had a small chat again and we all smiles. I was hoping to get a picture of the team of 1987 that evening but we never did - I feel bad we did not do that.

That was the last I saw. He has his transplant after that, it went well and it looked like he was well on the road to recovery. Until we heard that his condition had deteriorated and he finally ended his innings this evening. 

If your game shows your character Azeem's most certainly did. Never faltering, straight, upright, no hesitation, knew exactly what he wanted to do and did it without doubting himself, aggressive and courageous, fearless and honest. And yes, there was compassion and kindness, generosity and humour as well. I have not found someone who was as non-judgmental as he was. And these days when I am more prone to look and celebrate the life and moments we spent and less on lamenting loss, something we have no control over and something that is inevitable - I am so glad that I knew and played with Azeem and that he was a part of my life. One thing is for sure, there is much of Azeem I would like to keep with me, that old world charm, those old world values. Ah, it was such a wonderful inning - one worth truly celebrating.