The dwindling Khar Gym gang

Former Indian Universities player Bharat Kunderan’s recent passing means the list of surviving members of this jovial cricket outfit of yesteryear has got depressingly shorter

The list of surviving cricketing stalwarts of yesteryear that made Khar Gymkhana a fun team to watch, play and interact with, is getting depressingly shorter.

The week started in gloomy fashion with the news of Bharat Kunderan passing away at 74. The brother of former Test stumper and batsman Budhi could well have been the most gregarious of the Khar Gymkhana lot, although in many ways he kept to himself outside the cricketing sphere.

The cricketers of the 1970s and 1980s, who wore the KG-embossed whites were characters—commonly referred to by their nicknames. Bharat was called Sidney because he resembled the late African American actor Poitier (or was it Sydney because Bharat loved the Australian city when he toured Down Under with the Indian Schools team in 1968-69?). Prakash Naik, their batsman, was Dougie to his Khar Gymkhana mates because some felt he batted like Doug Walters, the great Australian batsman of the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. Fast bowler Nitin Shirodkar, who played one Ranji Trophy match for Mumbai in 1967-68 after five Rohinton Baria inter-university games for Mumbai in 1960-61, was known as Speedy Gonzales, the famous cartoon character—the fastest mouse in Mexico. Indians related more to Speedy Gonzales, the 1962 hit song by Pat Boone. The late Shirodkar’s daughters are famous actors, Shilpa and Namrata. 

And Sunil Gavaskar, in his Sportsweek article on his victorious 1976-77 Ranji Trophy-winning team, referred to off-spinner Ranjan Baindoor as ‘Lipston’ Baindoor.
Ranjan’s elder brother Suryakant (also deceased) was known as Surya at Khar Gymkhana and beyond. And Dinesh Nanavati, the Saurashtra batsman, who is now immersed in coaching, is called Nana.

Khar Gymkhana’s middle order batsman Kumar Hansraj was known as Puddles because he kept falling into puddles during Kanga League games.

Probably, the most fascinating story behind a Khar Gymkhana nickname was the one that Harendra Upadhyaya acquired—Kandly.

The story goes that Upadhyaya used to address letters to his college sports-in-charge, asking for cricket equipment with the word Kandly instead of Kindly. His friends learned about his gaffe and started calling him Kandly.

Kandly’s post-playing days were spent ensuring all matches at Khar Gymkhana were well organised and visiting teams were well looked after. He too is missed at Khar Gymkhana just like Arun Wagh, the well-built former fast bowler, who performed his role as emcee for functions at the Gymkhana with aplomb.

I got to interact with some of the Khar Gymkhana old faithfuls during my short stint as manager of Sunder Cricket Club. Vinod Bhimani, a close friend of the Ashar family who owns the club, was a willing tab-picker of our team’s lunch whenever they played there. The late Vinodbhai was a fast bowler who was coached by Alan Moss when the former England fast bowler held a camp for aspiring pacers on these shores in 1958. In 1985, his son Rahul (then 17) became the youngest hat-trick taker in the Kanga League premier division when his triple strikes helped beat National CC at Khar Gymkhana.

Sitting beside Bharat at Sunder CC, I got to hear stories sweet and sour. He took great pride in the fact that he represented the Indian Schoolboys in Australia, Indian Universities (for whom Sunil Gavaskar opened the innings at Ceylon in 1970) and Bombay University.

He seemed bitter over the fact that he missed the bus as the reserve wicketkeeper in the Mumbai squad that travelled to Bangalore for the 1973-74 Ranji Trophy semi-final. And, in between drags of his Benson & Hedges cigarettes, he reminisced about playing with Salim Durani at Khar Gymkhana.

When Durani passed away in 2023, I got Bharat to repeat a story for me for an article in these columns. Bharat recalled: “I was keeping wickets and Salimbhai told me from his position at slip that he was getting bored. He asked me to put him on. I threw him the ball and he promised me he’d finish off the game in our favour. But there was one condition. I would have to treat him to a few beers after the game. Salimbhai ran through the opposition and didn’t miss an opportunity to enjoy his beer.”

Incidentally, Bharat’s brother Budhi and Durani were fellow debutants in the 1959-60 Test against Richie Benaud’s Australians at the Brabourne Stadium.

Bharat adored Budhi. He recalled taking great pleasure in visiting him at the Brabourne Stadium each time the Indian team stayed there. He also used to speak about how much of a heartthrob his famous brother was.

Bharat celebrated whenever Budhi succeeded and shared his pain during the down moments. He just couldn’t understand why the BCCI refused to give Budhi his benevolent fund money just because he lived in Scotland. Ultimately, Jagmohan Dalmiya ensured that justice was done to him. A cheque was sent to him within 10 days of Budhi informing the then Board president about the pending dues.

Budhi and Bharat’s similarities went beyond the fact that both were wicketkeepers. Both BK Kunderans also went to the same school (Bharda). They were both outspoken (Budhi revealed in an interview to me in 2004 that he had a blue with MAK Pataudi and he had no qualms in telling the then captain of India that he was out of order). Probably, the best commonality was that the two cricketing brothers had large hearts and friendships nourished their souls.

There was no shortage of moist eyes on Wednesday at Bharat’s funeral, as he undertook his final journey with Khar Gymkhana and Elphinstone College caps accompanying him.

His family and friends, Bharda School, Elphinstone College, Bombay University, Bank of India and Sunder CC teammates, along with members of the A to Z friends group, bid him a tearful goodbye. Needless to say, his Khar Gymkhana pals too.

mid-day’s group sports editor Clayton Murzello is a purist with an open stance. He tweets @ClaytonMurzello 

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