Quick Info→
Age: 78 Years
Death Date: 05/04/2023
Hometown: Tardeo, Bombay Presidency, British India
Some Lesser Known Facts About Sudhir Naik
- Sudhir Naik was an Indian cricketer who is understood for enjoying the Ranji Trophy for Bombay within the 70s.
- In an interview, he mentioned that when he was younger, he used to pester small animals and play cricket with the desk tennis ball. He used to play with children from Tardeo’s Chikkalwadi. When he was in school 10, his elder brother suggested him to fulfill Vinoo Mankad, who supplied teaching for him.
- He began taking part in cricket for Bombay University and later, he grew to become the captain of the Tata Oil Mills group the place he was additionally an worker.
- He was a studious baby and was all the time fund learning when not taking part in cricket. He used to hold his books and examine even when he was on tour. He used to get up at 5 within the morning and examine for just a few hours.
- According to Sudhir, he by no means needed to play cricket however he dreamt of turning into the boss of an organization as a result of at the moment there was not a lot cash in cricket.
- Before selecting MSc in Organic Chemistry, he utilized for an engineering diploma and even received admission to VJTI (Veermata Jeejabai Technological Institute) in Mumbai. He modified his determination after former cricketer Madhav Apte messaged him and informed him that if he selected to engineer, he wouldn’t get time to play cricket.
- When he was the captain of the cricket group at Bombay University, he grew to become the one captain to win the Police Shield Tournament and Mahindra Shield Tournament for 2 consecutive years (1967 and 68).
- He was later chosen for Mumbai’s junior squad and in addition made it to the senior group.
- In an interview, Naik mentioned that earlier than 1970, just one group was allowed to play the knock-out rounds. So, his group used to win in opposition to Maharashtra due to this in 1970, Maharashtra proposed to the BCCI to permit two groups from every group to play within the knock-out. The provide was accepted by the BCCI. In 1971, Bombay grew to become quantity 2 within the West Zone.
- In 1974, he performed three Test matches and two One Day Internationals for the Indian cricket group.
- He was the opening batsman in India’s 1974 tour of England. He didn’t get an opportunity to play the primary and second Tests, despite being the best scorer in all of the tour video games. He scored 77 runs within the second innings, however India couldn’t win the match. This was the best scorer in that innings making him Man of the Match for India.
- In 1970-71, his glorious efficiency led Bombay to an surprising Ranji Trophy triumph even when Sunil Gavaskar and Ajit Wadekar had been in West Indies to play a match.
- In the 1972 Ranji season, he was not included within the taking part in XI as a result of different batsmen had been included within the squad. In an interview, he talked about this and mentioned,
I used to be dropped for the knock-outs. I had good scores and it was undoubtedly unfair. It was politics performed by a few of our personal senior gamers. They had been afraid that if Sudhir performs within the knock-outs, he could get chosen for India and we could exit. That was soiled politics. But that is half and parcel of the sport.”
- In 1974, his efficiency in first-class matches the place he scored 730 runs (40.55) received him entry into the Indian group and he performed the ultimate Test at Edgbaston.
- In 1973-94, he performed the Ranji Trophy in opposition to Baroda the place he scored 2687 runs (40.10) which grew to become the best rating of 200 not out.
- He hit his first 4 for India in a One-day International match in England as he scored 18 from 29 balls.
- He used to work as an natural chemist.
- He was the coach at his personal National Cricket Club, Mumbai the place cricketers like Zaheer Khan, Wasim Jaffer, Rajesh Pawar, Raju Sutar and Paras Mhambrey had been educated.
- In 2005, he grew to become the bottom in cost on the Wankhede Cricket Stadium and took care of the wicket and the outfield earlier than the matches. In 2011, he ready the pitch for the 2011 World Cup on the Wankhede Cricket Ground in Mumbai. He additionally used to organize the grounds and pitches of the west zone within the capability of West Zone In-charge of BCCI’s Ground and Pitch Committee. In 1984-85, he additionally served on the Mumbai choice committee as a chief selector and managing committee member.
- In 2016, he retired from his job as a result of Ravi Shastri criticized him for an improper pitch. In an interview, he talked about that he was 70 years previous and couldn’t take the issues Shastri mentioned.
- In his home profession, he scored 4376 runs in 85 First-Class matches with seven hundred and 27 fifties.
- The gamers in his membership used to name him James after James Bond.
- According to former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar, Sudhir was a simple particular person.
- In the Seventies, he was accused of stealing two pairs of socks at a London departmental retailer, however the BCCI at the moment was not robust sufficient to take a stand for him due to this he needed to undergo so much. Sunil Gavaskar talked concerning the incident within the guide ‘Sunny Days’ and mentioned that Naik ought to have been supplied with good legal professionals to show him harmless in courtroom. However, simply after the incident, he scored a half-century in a check match.
- On 24 March 2023, he fell down in his residence in Dadar after which he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on the Hinduja Hospital in Mumbai due to an damage on his head. He died on 5 April 2023. After his dying, Zaheer Khan expressed his condolences on his dying and mentioned,
A day after he was hospitalised, I went and noticed him. He was responding to the therapy. He recognised me and tried speaking to me. I had a little bit of a dialog with him. Knowing the character that I’ve seen through the years, I hoped he would combat via this. But it wasn’t to be. On Sunday night time, he grew to become essential, and we had been informed that the subsequent 72 hours will likely be essential. While we had been hoping for his restoration, all via this time, I’ve been recalling my innumerable conversations with him as quickly as I moved to Mumbai.”
- In an interview, Milind Rege, former Mumbai captain mentioned that he had seen Sudhir sporting torn gloves and his self-respect was a lot that he wouldn’t ask anyone for spare gloves. In the interview, he keep in mind the times spent with Sudhir and mentioned that they used to journey in a taxi to the Ranji Trophy video games with their kits. They used to stay in the identical neighbourhood and went to apply collectively. He additionally remembered that more often than not they had been collectively. He additionally mentioned that Sudhir was a terrific captain. In the interview, he mentioned,
He was extraordinarily sound tactically. That was his plus level. He knew his subject placement, he knew the temperament of his gamers. Sudhir would by no means rebuke us on the sphere. He by no means informed us, “ Kya kar raha hai? Barabar se bowling nahi ho raha hai (What are you doing? You are not bowling properly)… He would put his arm around us and be very cool and calm. In that final of 1970-71, we were all youngsters – most of us were in our early 20s – with the exception of Vijay Bhosale and Padmakar Shivalkar. We were just raw talents and he captained the team marvellously. He was a great leader.”
- His final Test was at Eden Gardens in opposition to the West Indies in 1975.