Anshu’s death ‘tripped’ Vishy, but batting great will still make it to Baroda as scheduled

Aunshuman Gaekwad and Gundappa Vishwanath at the CCI on May 19, 2023. Pic/Atul Kamble

Gundappa Vishwanath, who was Aunshumam Gaekwad's India teammate from 1974-75 to 1979, had planned to visit the blood cancer-stricken Gaekwad in Baroda on August 5, but the end came on Wednesday night.

"I was in England recently when his condition deteriorated. We had planned to go to Baroda to see him and we had booked our air tickets. Nevertheless, we will travel as scheduled, but we won't be able to see him. It's pretty frustrating. I will miss him. He was pretty close to us and I don't know how to console his family," Vishwanath said from Bangalore on Wednesday.

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Vishwanath recalled the Kingston Test of 1976 when Gaekwad was hit on the ear by a Michael Holding delivery and had to retire hurt on 81. "Nobody thought he would come back and play Test cricket after that injury. He was gutsy. He was a good opening batter with sound technique," said the 75-year-old batting great.

Meanwhile, former Bengal and East Zone player Sambaran Banerjee, who was in the same national selection committee as Gaekwad in 1995-96, remarked: "Anshu was a very sharp man with a good analytical mind. We all loved him. I'm gutted on hearing the news of his death and I can't help recalling our days as fellow selectors and opponents in domestic cricket. I just can't bring myself to believe that Anshu is no longer with us."