Published: Sep 30, 2014, 07:03 PM (IST)
Edited: Sep 30, 2014, 07:29 PM (IST)
By Nishad Pai Vaidya
Sep 30, 2014
The Cricket Club of India (CCI) hosted a memorial meeting for legendary statistician Anandji Dossa. The meeting was attended by former Test crickeyer Madhav Apte, former Mumbai cricketer Milind Rege, commentators Raju Bharathan and Anant Setalvad, and cricket statistician Sudhir Vaidya.
Bharathan said, “There is no other like Anandji bhai in the game of cricket. We will remember the accuracy with which he used to give us details. He was an amazing presence in the commentary box. Vijay Merchant turned to him for every figure he wanted. Whatever Anandji bhai was paid by AIR, he used it for the cab from Santa Cruz to the stadium. Even that was used for the game. Anandji bhai had designed a scorebook himself. He became an absolute legend.”
Apte played cricket with Dossa for the Jolly Cricketers. He said ,”Anybody who follows the game of cricket would be saddened today. My association with Anandji bhai started in 1946. From there on till he went to US, our association continued. His surname was inappropriate. For somebody called Dossa, he was so young at heart. On his 96th birthday, when we were leaving, he said we would meet in four years. He was one of the founding member of Jolly Cricketers. He pursued the game of cricket as if it was his religion. Whatever I have achieved in cricket or in life, it was largely due to Anandji bhai. He was not a modest cricketer. He was much better. He did not get the rightful place he deserved. He has created so many shishyas, carrying the guru-shishya parampara. He would be extremely difficult to replace in the game of cricket.”
[read-also]31008,190648[/read-also]
Vaidya was mentored by Dossa. Recalling his association, he said, “In 1941-42, Anandji bhai and Madhav Mantri were in the Bombay team as wicketkeepers. The captain preferred Mantri. It was a blessing in disguise, as cricket got a statistician. He was kind enough to give every help, cooperation and more importantly inspiration. If he knew anyone was passionate about cricket, he went out of the way to help. He wanted everything about Indian cricket. One man wrote a book on thana cricket. Anandji bhai called for three of those copies. It is a huge loss, I pray for his soul to be in peace.”
Setalvad shared the commentary box with Dossa and shared his memories, “Many know him as a statistician. I have a different view. I am told he was an excellent fielder. Anandji Dossa was a good fielder, but at the time Bombay cricket was dominated by Madhav Mantri. Many people are called Mr Cricket, but that would apply to Mr Dossa appropriately. Even in his 90s, when I met him, he would ask whether I watched the match. Whenever I sat with Anandji bhai in the commentary box, he was following the game all the time. He perhaps knew as much as the fielder. So it wasn’t difficult for him to provide information. He had a theory, that if a batsman had a complete defence and one dangerous stroke, he would be successful.”
Rege said, “My first memory of him was when I played for India schools in the 1960s. He was in the commentary box. The immense passion with which he wrote statistics and gave it to the world, was like no other.”
(Nishad Pai Vaidya is a Correspondent with CricketCountry and anchor for the site’s YouTube Channel. His Twitter handle is @nishad_44)
