That Aunshuman Gaekwad, who passed away in Baroda on Wednesday night at the age of 71 figured in every Test series India played against the mighty West Indies from 1974-75 to 1983-84, speaks volumes of what the selectors thought of him as a tackler of fast bowling.

In fact, Gaekwad, who died of blood cancer, made his Test debut against the men from the Caribbean in 1974-75 at Kolkata, where he scored 36 and 4. In the next Test at Chennai, he scored only 7 in the first innings, but made up for it with 80 before being run out. He scored 51 and 42 in the fifth and final Test at Mumbai during the inaugural Test at the Wankhede Stadium.