Former India opener Sudhir Naik no more

Tributes flow in for ex-Test and Mumbai batsman Naik, who led a young team to the 1970-71 Ranji triumph, when the stars were away in the West Indies

Former India opening batsman and Mumbai’s 1970-71 Ranji Trophy-winning captain Sudhir Naik passed away at a city hospital on Wednesday evening. He was 78. Naik represented the country in three Tests—the Edgbaston game of the 1974 tour of England and the Delhi and Kolkata games during the home series against Clive Lloyd’s West Indians in 1974-75. Naik hit the first boundary for India in ODI cricket—in the first match of the 1974 one-day series in England. On March 25, he was admitted to hospital after suffering a fall at his Dadar residence.

Former Mumbai captain and  chief selector Milind Rege, who played under Naik’s captaincy, felt Naik’s death is a huge loss for Mumbai cricket. “Sudhir Naik was a real legend in Mumbai cricket. Having served the game in different capacities—cricketer, coach, selector, administrator and curator—he contributed so much. It’s a huge loss for us,” Rege told mid-day. 

Also Read: India’s first boundary-hitter Sudhir Naik recalls ODI No.1

‘Sound tactician’

Recalling their playing days, Rege said: “Sudhir was my University, Tata and Bombay captain. He and I joined Tata on the same day—August 2, 1968. He was a very good and solid opening batsman, technically very strong back foot player, who had top-class temperament. He was a magnificent cricketer and a shrewd captain. He was a captain in the Ajit Wadekar and Manohar Hardikar mould, tactically extremely sound.

Milind Rege, Balvinder Sandhu, Ajinkya Naik and Ravi Sawant

He never used to get excited or agitated. He was quite a cool captain and never admonished us.” Naik led a young Mumbai team to a Ranji Trophy win in 1970-71 when their star players (Ajit Wadekar, Dilip Sardesai, Eknath Solkar, Ashok Mankad and Sunil Gavaskar) were in the West Indies. They beat Maharashtra led by the shrewd Chandu Borde in the final at the Brabourne Stadium.

Naik and his association with the National Cricket Club at Cross Maidan was significant. “Sudhir helped everyone including Test players Zaheer Khan, Wasim Jaffer, Nilesh Kulkarni and many others. He built the National CC team by grooming players, not by poaching players from other clubs,” Rege added. 

Meanwhile, MCA Secretary Ajinkya Naik said: “The passing of former Mumbai Ranji-winning captain and India Test player Sudhir Naik sir is a huge loss. He was chairman of the selection committee and MCA’s managing committee member. Above all, he was a great curator, without whom the Wankhede Stadium would not have been ready for the 2011 World Cup.”

Top-class curator

Former MCA President Ravi Sawant, who saw Naik in hospital on Tuesday evening, said: “His contribution in preparing new pitches at the renovated Wankhede Stadium ahead of the 2011 World Cup was immense. It was a challenging task because of a small time-frame, but he made it possible through his continuous hard work those days. I think he was not given due recognition and rewards for his work.   

“We lost an educated player as well as a top-class curator. He did his MSC in agriculture and secured a first-class. He was the only qualified and knowledgeable curator in India,” Sawant remarked. India’s 1983 World Cup-winning seamer Balvinder Singh Sandhu paid tribute to Naik on Facebook. “Very sad news, a gentleman cricketer and a honest server of Mumbai cricket,” wrote Sandhu. The funeral will be held today at Shivaji Park Crematorium at 10:30 am.

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