Anything for Mumbai

In 1968, on a sunny morning, Eknath Solkar was rushing to the Brabourne Stadium in a taxi. Bombay were playing Bengal in the Ranji Trophy fi...

In 1968, on a sunny morning, Eknath Solkar was rushing to the Brabourne Stadium in a taxi. Bombay were playing Bengal in the Ranji Trophy final where the hosts were desperately trying to gain the crucial first innings lead.

Solkar and Milind Rege, the overnight batsmen, came to the crease and batted sensibly, taking Bombay to safer shores. The tail 8212; thereafter 8212; clinched one of the most memorable Ranji Trophy championship final for Mumbai.

Only after the celebrations were over did everybody realise that Eknath8217;s father Dhondu Solkar had passed away the other evening and the cricketer completed the funeral rites on the morning of the match and returned to contribute his part to the Mumbai team.

While the rest of the team members knew what had happened, none of the players stopped Solkar from taking the field. Because they knew it was something that would never happen. 8216;8216;That was typical him,8217;8217; Rege said.

8216;8216;This win is for my mother,8217;8217; he had said after Mumbai lifted the trophy.

Bengal, batting first had scored 387 and Mumbai were 310/5 on the last day, trying hard to take the first innings lead.

The same grit and determination remained the most prominent feature of his career- whether it was his batting, bowling, or fielding. Though not a huge talent, Solkar was greater than sum of his parts.

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Son of a poor gardener, Solkar had humble beginnings before he got his chance to play cricket at the first class level. Former cricketers Polly Umrigar and Ajit Wadekar who had seen the young Solkar still cannot come to terms with his loss. 8216;8216;He brought that rare agility in his game 8212; that was seldom seen before,8217;8217; recollects Umrigar. 8216;8216;He came up the hard way to finally play for India,8217;8217; Umrigar said.

Solkar8217;s father was a groundsman at the P.G. Hindu Gymkhana for decades and the family lived there until Eknath started making a better living.

8216;8216;Geoffery Boycott was very afraid of him8217;8217; say those who saw Solkar from close quarters. 8216;8216;He Boycott was Solkar8217;s bunny. There was nothing he would drop and when Boycott batted, Solkar seemed to be at his very best.8217;8217;

Former England player and commentator Tony Greig had famously said: 8216;8216;When I bat, I get a feeling that he is standing between my legs. There was nothing much you could do about that.8217;8217;