Aunshuman Gaekwad dedicated his life to cricket. His last days were a testament to his resilience. He faced the most powerful fast bowler on the field and the most feared opponent off the field, cancer. Despite the difficulties, he never backed down and bravely stepped back.
What set Aunshuman Gaekwad apart was his selflessness and reliability. He was a man of few criticisms and was known for his honesty and caring nature. He was a friend who never said ‘no’ and was always there when needed. His presence was a precious gift to be cherished.
Mohinder Amarnath and Kapil Dev were best friends in the cricket fraternity. He loved Sunil Gavaskar and GR Vishwanath. Anshu was in awe of the first Test captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi. He loved Mohammad Azharuddin and Sachin Tendulkar. He rarely spoke about himself.
Pataudi was a “friendly terror”. When he was asked to report to Pataudi in Calcutta for the 1974 Test against West Indies, Anshu immediately showed himself to the captain. “I rang his doorbell and asked what I should do.” Pataudi’s reply crushed him. ‘Find out for yourself. No one told me when I made my debut.’ As Anshu found out, it was a prank by Pataudi, who wanted the young Baroda cricketer to support him.
Also Read | Indian cricket legend Aunshuman Gaekwad passes away at 71
When Pataudi passed away in 2011, Anshu got the news late at night and took an early morning flight to Pataudi’s home village to attend the funeral. He had great respect for the iconic cricketer. Anshu loved to smoke but never smoked in front of Pataudi. Anshu belonged to the old school where captains, gurus and teachers were revered figures.
His name always brought back memories of a stubborn and fearless individual. He wasn’t the most attractive batsman to watch, but he was the captain’s first choice because of his ability to slow down the attack. He loved to drop the ball at his feet and check the pitcher’s expression. “It was my favorite time to tell the pitcher that his best efforts to get me out were in vain,” he said. Sports star once.
One gesture towards such a bowler almost proved fatal for Anshu.
Sabina Park, 1976. The West Indies went on a revenge tour to hurt the Indians. “It happened in the air. The West Indies attack was unmissable,” Anshu recalled. A ball from Michael Holding hit his finger, causing excruciating pain. Anshu made an inappropriate gesture with his finger, angering the bowler. The next ball, pitched around the stumps, sank short and fast, hitting him behind the ear, shattering his glasses and sending him to hospital. “I thought my cricket and my life were over.”
Anshu fought back. His first six Tests were against the West Indies. After six months out injured, he returned as Gavaskar’s opening partner against New Zealand in Bombay. He played 40 Tests and recorded a dismal performance for a batsman with 22 years of first-class experience.
His debut came in 1970 against a Maharashtra team that included Chandu Borde, Chetan Chauhan and Hemant Kanitkar. His farewell match against Gujarat in 1992 took him to his beloved Moti Bagh Stadium in Baroda. The 40-year-old celebrated with scores of 143 and 10, both of which were unbeaten. He was soon given a new role as a national selector and did a great job.
Some of my fondest memories with Anshu were when he was the team coach. The most memorable one was the Desert Storm episode in Sharjah in 1998. He told Sachin Tendulkar, “I want the trophy” and the maestro did not disappoint him, scoring two consecutive centuries. Sachin had great respect for Anshu.
Sachin Tendulkar and Aunshmanna Gaekwad assess the performance of players during a practice session at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai | Photo courtesy: VV Krishnan/The Hindu
Sachin Tendulkar and Aunshmanna Gaekwad assess the performance of players during a practice session at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai | Photo courtesy: VV Krishnan/The Hindu
A year later, at the 1999 World Cup in England, Anshu confessed that he faced the “biggest challenge” of his cricketing career – telling Sachin about his father’s death. On hearing the news, Anshu took Sachin’s wife Anjali to the facility and told her the frightening incident. Sachin broke down in Anshu’s arms before leaving for his father’s cremation, but returned to serve the team.
Anshu had a special bond with Sachin and Azharuddin. He loved their batting style. Both of them, as a tribute to Anshu’s guidance, shared a hobby of collecting wristwatches. “I don’t wear a wristwatch. I keep them in my drawing room,” Anshu told me when I visited him at his home in Baroda.
Anshu’s tastefully decorated abode reflects his persona. “Everything is (wife) Jyoti’s job,” he insists. “My job is to look after the garden. All my vegetables are home-grown.” He also proudly points out the peacock that comes into his kitchen every morning and leaves after what Anshu calls a “security check.”
FILE PHOTO: Cricket Advisory Board members Kapil Dev, Anshuman Geakwad and Shantha Rangaswamy address a press conference after selecting the Indian cricket team’s coach in Mumbai on August 16, 2019. Photo: Vivek Bendre | Photo courtesy: Vivek Bendre
FILE PHOTO: Cricket Advisory Board members Kapil Dev, Anshuman Geakwad and Shantha Rangaswamy address a press conference after selecting the Indian cricket team’s coach in Mumbai on August 16, 2019. Photo: Vivek Bendre | Photo courtesy: Vivek Bendre
After working as a player, selector and board coach, Anshu took up a job with the Gujarat Cricket Association and later became a member of the BCCI Cricket Advisory Committee. However, he was dissatisfied with this role and eventually found a way to share his views as a media professional. His honest analysis and straightforward approach earned him respect in the industry.
The last two times Anshu and I met were in Mumbai: at his book launch at the Cricket Club of India in May 2023, and two months later at an event organized by my journalist friend Dwarkanath Sanjgiri to mark Sachin’s 50th birthday.
A slew of cricketers turned up for his book launch. Kapil, Dilip Vengsarkar, Gavaskar, Roger Binny, Tendulkar, Zaheer Khan, Vishwanath, Karsan Ghavri, Abey Kuruvilla, Nayan Mongia and Yajurvindra Singh supported Anshu.
“He gave everything to Indian cricket as a player, coach, administrator, selector. You name it, he did it all. It is a tribute to how much Aunshu was loved that he was loved not only as a player back then but also after his cricketing days,” Gavaskar said. “He was my opening partner. We had an interesting time. We never chased each other down. So we could talk and pull each other’s leg.”
Also read | Remembering Aunshuman Gaekwad: A Model of Courage, Empathy, and Laughter
Tendulkar recalled that Gehrigwad liked spicy food. “I remember when we toured New Zealand in 1998-99, we went to a restaurant and said, ‘Let’s order pasta or chicken’. He said he doesn’t like bland food at all. So Aunshu Bhai asked the chef for the hottest chilli sauce. The chef said, ‘Can you handle it? It’s super spicy.’ He said, ‘Make it as spicy as you can and take it.'” He brought the sauce and I tasted a little bit of it. It was so spicy that I could only finish a quarter of a spoonful during the whole meal. Aunshu Bhai finished two bowls of sauce. The chef couldn’t believe it. That’s when he realised that it wasn’t just hot bowling that he could handle, but also food.”
Ansu had been feeling unwell in July, and his tired appearance did not fit his personality. Ansu had always been a healthy person, and it was only through a routine checkup that the terrible disease that was about to engulf him was revealed.
Anshu was advised to go to London for treatment, but returned home disappointed. His old friend Mohinder Amarnath visited Anshu and with the help of Gavaskar, Sandeep Patil and Kapil, he arranged for the treatment. Amarnath described Anshu as “a great batsman, a dear friend and a lovely human being”.
Aunshu had been hurt and disappointed by the cricket community several times throughout his life. But his kind nature did not allow him to hold a grudge against the man who almost took his life on the field. Aunshu affectionately called Holding “Mikey” and considered him a friend. He was Aunshuman Dattajirao Gaekwad, an unwavering batsman and a trusted friend. He was 71 years old.
