Bapu Nadkarni is remembered for his Test economy rate of 1.67 runs per over. He is remembered for his bowling figures of 32-27-5-0, which included 21 consecutive maiden overs.
However, parsimony was not his only virtue. Nadkarni finished with a bowling average of 29.07 for his 88 wickets, which reads better men like EAS Prasanna, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar, Vinoo Mankad, Anil Kumble and Srinivas Venkataraghavan. In fact, among the pantheon of Indian spinners, only Bishan Bedi and Subhash Gupte finished with a better average.
In India’s maiden overseas triumph over New Zealand in 1967-68, Bedi and Prasanna took more wickets, but Nadkarni headed the bowling averages with 14 at 17.92, bowling 185.3 overs in that characteristic metronomic manner, conceding just 251 runs. His best moment came in the third Test at Eden Park, when he bowled India to victory with a career-best 6 for 43 in the second innings. Surprisingly, on his return to India, he announced his retirement.
We also tend to forget that he was a more than decent batsman with a Test hundred, a healthy batting average (25.70) and nearly 9,000 runs in First Class cricket at a 40-plus average. He had the distinction of scoring a hundred and a fifty in the same Test, both unbeaten.
His 500 (exactly) wickets in First-Class cricket came at 21, while he was an excellent fielder, and led Mumbai to three consecutive Ranji Trophy titles.
One curious aspect of Nadkarni was the fact that he wore loincloths instead of underwear, often causing amusement in the dressing-room. As a result he earned the nickname ‘Bapu’, for Mahatma Gandhi used to do the same.
Unfortunately born before the advent of One-Day cricket, he would have been a phenomenal asset in any team in today’s Twenty20 format.
Arunabha Sengupta
Career | M | In | R | NO | HS | Avg | BF | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s | Ct | St |
Test | 41 | 67 | 1414 | 12 | 122* | 25.70 | -- | -- | 1 | 7 | 64 | -- | 22 | 0 |
ODIs | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
T20s | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
World Cup | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Career | M | B | R | W | Avg | EC | SR | 5WI | 10WM | BBI | BBM |
Test | 41 | 9023 | 2559 | 88 | 29.07 | 1.701 | 102 | 4 | 1 | 6/43 | 11/122 |
ODIs | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
T20s | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
World Cup | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Test Debut
India v New Zealand at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi, December 16, 1955
Last Test
New Zealand v India at Eden Park, Auckland, March 7, 1968
The gesture is a mark of tribute to the departed former India allrounder Bapu Nadkarni who breathed is last on January 17.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday condoled the demise of former all-round cricketer Bapu Nadkarni, saying he will be best ...
Nadkarni rose to frame after he bowled 21 successive maidens. His figures in that Madras (now Chennai) test read 32-27-5-0.
The spin wizard of the late '60s and '70s also spoke highly of Warne and Anil Kumble.
Nadkarni hailed Gavaskar's daredevilry during the latter's 65 birthday celebrations.
Former India wicket-keeper Farokh Engineer has hurt his shoulder at his base in Manchester.
Two conditions: the players have never played List A or T20 cricket, and there cannot be more than four overseas cricketers.
Bapu Nadkarni remains the most parsimonious Indian bowler ever. He was also a more than competent batsman.
A look at the Indian Test heroes of the yesteryears who would have dominated T20s.
The day Ken Barrington and Brian Bolus stonewalled spectators to sleep as Bapu Nadkarni bowled 131 consecutive dot balls.
Dicky Rutnagur, one of the most respected sports journalists, passed away in London on June 20. Arunabha Sengupta pays tribute to the ...
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