AICAPC to name eight physically challenged teams after 1971 heroes

Ajit Wadekar's 1970-71 team which won the five-match Test series 1-0 in the West Indies. Pic/mid-day archives

The year 1971 will always be considered magical in Indian cricket history because Ajit Wadekar's men clinched unprecedented Test series victories in West Indies and England.

It's 48 years since those historic feats were achieved and to honour the heroes of those tours, the All India Cricket Association for Physically Challenged (AICAPC), founded by the late former India captain Wadekar, has decided to name the eight physically challenged teams after them.

These eight teams, consisting of 104 players that were shortlisted by former India pacer Umesh Kulkarni's selection panel, will participate in selection games for the first-ever World Cricket Series to be held in England this August. This is the first time that the BCCI has allowed a physically challenged cricket team to officially represent India in a tournament.

Farokh Engineer

The eight teams are: Sunil Gavaskar XI, Eknath Solkar XI, Dilip Sardesai XI, Bishan Singh Bedi XI, S Venkataraghavan XI, Salim Durrani XI, Farokh Engineer XI and Bhagwat Chandrasekhar XI.

While Gavaskar (774 runs) and Sardesai (642 runs) scored heavily in the five-Test series in the Caribbean, Venkataraghavan and Chandrasekhar starred on the three-Test England tour, bagging 13 wickets each in three Tests. Venkataraghavan was also successful in the West Indies with 22 wickets. Durrani, 84, was thrilled on being informed about a team named in his honour. "It is a great gesture. It is good to know that we are still remembered. I have suddenly come alive, I feel. I wish the Indian physically challenged cricket team all the best for the World Series," Durrani, told mid-day from Jamnagar.

Salim Durrani

The eight teams will play their selection games from May 6 to 8 in Hubli. Two teams of 15 players each will play on May 9 and 10 before the final selection of 20 players [15-member squad and five reserves] is finalised. Two camps will be held before the team boards the plane for England.

Lancashire-based former India wicketkeeper Engineer was also delighted as well. "I am hugely honoured. I will try and watch some of their games in Hubli, but will definitely go and support them when they come to England," said Engineer.

Former Mumbai Cricket Association vice-president, Vinod Deshpande, an advisor for the AICAPC, said it was a spontaneous decision to name the teams after the 1971 greats.

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