MADRAS, Indiaa: At the age of only 23, Navjot Singh Sidhu has just completed one of international cricket’s more successful comebacks.
The slim Sikh, dismissed as too defensive a player after appearing in the 1983 test series against West Indies, has played two blazing innings in India’s opening World Cup games to upstage those members of the team who were once his boyhood idols.
His innings of 73 against Australia in Madras a week ago and 75 on Wednesday against New Zealand in Bangalore were his team’s top scores. Nine sixes flowed from the bat of this onetime “stroke less wonder”, each of them beautifully struck straight hits into the crowd.
He was only just past his 20h birthday when he was picked to play against West Indies four years ago having made 122 not out against them for north zone. He played in two tests, ‘making 36 in the last match of the series in Madras, and then disappeared from view.
The experience made him more determined than bitter. “My critics failed to realize that I was up against Malcolm Marshall and Company”, he said, “But I was determined to get back into the side”.
‘Sidhu was introduced to cricket by his father, a distinguished lawyer who became the Advocate General of the Punjab, He still lives in the family’s home town of Patiala where he has started work in a bank
As a keen schoolboy cricketer, sidhu immediately made an impression but seemed too frail physically to be regarded as a future international player.
A family acquaintance remembers, “He barely stood higher than the stumps” but also recalls the words of a Patiala elder who coached Sidhu. “He is a well-fed Jatboy. He will gain height. You mark my word”.
Sidhu is now over six fee, although still lean, and his clean hitting has been one of the main highlights of the World Cup.
Like another famous Sikh test cricketer, Bishen Singh Bedi, Sidhu wears colorful Patkas on many days although when he is batting these are hidden beneath a maroon helmet. Timing, rather than brute force, is the secret of his striking success, the ball dispatched with an easy swing of the bat, invariably travelling well beyond the boundary.
The experience of losing his test place and then in 1985 the death of his _devoted father were two blows that might have set back his career. On the contrary, they spurred him on to great things.
“I play to fulfill the ambitions of my father”, he said, “I am glad I made my way back into the Indian team but 1 wish he was there to share my happiness. [ owe my cricketing success to him”.
Having been dropped from the Test ide, Sidhu set about remodeling his game to the needs of international cricket. He said his hundred for north zone against West Indies “gave me the confidence I could play big cricket” but realized he had to adjust his game to the demands of test cricket and also learn to improvise to be a success in the one day game.
The wild acclaim with which his batting was greeted by crowds of over ‘50,000 in Madras and Bangalore during the past week was the reward for his persistence, In his undemonstrative way, Sidhu was happy to accept the plaudits but he feels he still has not ‘completely satisfied his critics and is resolved to do so.
His World Cup success has been almost exclusively against spin bowling and he has yet to convince his detractors that he can handle faster bowling, his quick demise when Australia brought back Craig Mc Dermont being cited as evidence.
“That’s all my critics needed”, he said. “Now they are at it again and this time they are questioning my technique against pace bowling”.
‘Then with soft-spoken firmness, he added: “I am ready and determined to prove the critics wrong again”.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 23, 1987
