Shamik Chakrabarty, Mumbai
“It’s a huge, huge honour for me,” said Dilip Vengsarkar, reacting to the Mumbai Cricket Association’s (MCA) decision to install a life-size statue of him at Wankhede Stadium. After Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar, he would be the third cricketer to have a statue at the hallowed venue.
“Wankhede is where I played all my cricket — Test matches, ODIs, World Cup…” the former India captain told RevSportz. “For Mumbai also, winning those trophies. In fact, all the matches (that I have played for Mumbai). And I must thank the MCA, because the parent body has always been very supportive, very helpful.”
Vengsarkar went on to score 6,868 Test runs, including 17 hundreds, and 3,508 ODI runs. The only overseas batsman to score three consecutive Test centuries at Lord’s, the ‘Lord of Lord’s’ sobriquet was well earned. Later, he served as the chairman of the national senior selection committee and his academy continues to nurture budding talents.
“I started cricket in Mumbai at the age of 12 in the inter-school tournament, Giles Shield, and since then, the MCA has been very helpful, very supportive and they provided me with the platform,” said the 69-year-old batting legend.
“I’m thankful to all my cricketing colleagues, those who played with me, from Mumbai to India. And my office, Tatas, where I worked for almost 40 years. My club, Dadar Union, that
shaped my career. The process started then and there.”
Vengsarkar thanked his family. “My family, that always comes first. They have been very
supportive. My parents first. And then my wife also. And my children.”
Asked to pick his favourite moment for Mumbai, Vengsarkar struggled. “I can’t pinpoint a particular moment,” he said. “Winning the Ranji Trophy is the ultimate feeling. But I played with great pride in each and every match I played for Mumbai. And I took great pride in winning the matches also.”
His best moments for India, and there have been quite a few. “164 not out against Australia, centuries against the West Indies, the (1983) World Cup and of course, those three hundreds at Lord’s,” Vengsarkar signed off.
Also Read: MCA to install Dilip Vengsarkar’s statue at Wankhede
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