Syed Abid Ali: A cricketer forward of his time
Syed Abid Ali, who died after a chronic sickness, is a bit like Tracy. You in all probability haven’t heard of him, until you’re of a sure age, however you need to have. Abid Ali performed 29 Assessments for India between 1967 and 1974, as a tenacious allrounder, identified for his spirited medium-pace, agile fielding and batting that was adequate for him to function within the prime order.
Abid Ali, from the magical era of Hyderabad greats, MAK Pataudi, ML Jaisimha and others, lashed the sq. lower of Brian Luckhurst at The Oval in 1971, when India beat England in England for the primary time. He couldn’t even savour that boundary, in that historic second, as a result of the group rushed onto the bottom when bat met ball, which by no means fairly reached the fence.
Within the previous collection, when India received within the West Indies, additionally for the primary time, Abid Ali blocked a full toss within the dying moments of the Trinidad Take a look at, simply so {that a} younger Sunil Gavaskar, who was making a reputation for himself, might rating the successful runs.
On debut, towards Australia in 1967, Abid Ali picked up 6 for 55 towards Australia at Adelaide, together with the wickets of Bob Simpson, Invoice Lawry, Bob Cowper and Barry Jarman. He additionally made 33 in every of the innings he batted in that Take a look at.
Abid Ali’s total tally of 47 wickets and 1,018 runs in Take a look at cricket are meagre returns. However, this was a person up to now forward of his time that Indian cricket didn’t know what kind of bundle that they had on their fingers.At a time when health was not a phrase utilized in the identical sentence as cricketer, Abid Ali charged up the steps on the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium in Hyderabad to construct energy in these marathoner legs. He was quick between the wickets and nimble within the discipline. In restricted overs cricket, he would have been the entire bundle. Abid Ali performed 5 ODIs, India’s first 5, however, regardless of success, was executed with taking part in earlier than the World Cup in 1975. He coached a number of groups after, however was by no means within the public eye as a few of his friends. “I’ve but to see a greater staff man than him. Whether or not it was batting, bowling or fielding… he gave his finest,” stated the late Ajit Wadekar of Abid Ali. That is excessive reward, coming from one in every of India’s most profitable captains.The better legacy that Abid Ali leaves, nevertheless, is the setting of inclusiveness, encouragement and rigour that he fostered in Hyderabad cricket. Virtually each participant who got here after him, from the Ranji staff, owes a debt of gratitude and readily acknowledges it. In neighbouring states, not each legendary Indian cricketer was as beneficiant to these looking for their ft within the sport.
Within the early Nineties, when Abid Ali suffered a coronary heart assault, Farrukh Engineer prematurely introduced his passing whereas on a commentary stint. Abid Ali was not within the pink of well being financially on the time, however a match between an India XI and an Arjuna Ranatunga XI in Wankhede raised sufficient funds to pay for his remedy.
The person whose obituary was written a contact too early, laughed it off in typical vogue. However, along with his precise passing, cricket has misplaced one thing particular. Not everybody who performs the sport leaves it in a greater place. Abid Ali ought to be remembered as somebody who did, even when there was nothing in it for him.
