If Kapil Dev earned the sobriquet of “Devil” after his exploits during the 1983 World Cup triumph, Madan Lal was always “Warhorse.” A fighter by nature on the cricket field, Maddi Paaji, as he is fondly known by those in his inner circle, is still passionate about Indian cricket.
Old-time cricket writers from Delhi swore that as long as Madan was around, anything could happen. It was not just a cliché but a tribute to the man’s spirit – even in a David-versus-Goliath contest.
Madan’s swagger on the cricket field was always there, even though some were harsh and said he feared fast bowlers while batting. His voyage in international cricket is well-chronicled but people will always remember him for getting the prize wicket of King Viv Richards in the 1983 World Cup final. Even after a busy TV stint, Madan was more than willing to share nuggets from the past with this writer.
“Yaar, Richards to king thaa, to kya hua? Jaan to lagana thaa naa maidan me [Richards was the king. We had to give it everything on the field],” said Madan in his inimitable style. That dismissal has played out over and over again in our minds and hearts. Madan loves it, though he says the 1983 win was one of a total team effort.
Just to jog the reader’s memory, Madan Lal had been part of an (in)famous series in England in 1974. India lost 0-3 in a Test series – including a calamitous 42 all out at Lord’s – and then played ODIs for the first time. “We did not know what ODI cricket was, we hardly played it before. Yaar, sikhna to thaa hee (we had to learn it),” he said. That was the student in Maddi Paa, always wanting to learn. “The BCCI got serious about ODIs later and we had our own domestic cricket tournament (Deodhar Trophy).”
Talk of the first World Cup in 1975, where Madan bowled the first delivery, and the 1983 win, and he gets sentimental. “One has to fight on the field,” he said. “History judges you with the efforts you make. Kuch to karoge naa, jaan lagaoge naa, bat, ball yaa fielding, (you’ve got to put your heart and soul in).” Madan speaks fluent English and is a regular on radio and TV shows. Yet, when it comes to articulation from the heart, he slips into Hindi.
Those who have seen his body language will vouch that he was a great athlete of his time. Batting, bowling and a famous catch to dismiss Peter Toohey will forever define his efforts. Statistics don’t always tell the full story, be it in domestic cricket or while wearing an India shirt.
In between, there was a period when he was dropped. All it did was make him stronger. The 1983 win remains special and Madan gets sad when asked about the players and selectors associated with it. After all, when Yashpal Sharma died two years ago, it shocked one and all. And with the recent demise of Bishan Bedi, who Madan calls his mentor, there is an air of nostalgia when he talks of cricket.
“I think we have learnt much more in 49 years, we are the kings now,” said Madan when asked to contrast Indian cricket in 1974 with the environment today. “It’s crazy watching this England side. Kya yaar, basics hee bhool gaye [They have forgotten the basics].” In his view, England are confused, not sure of how to plan an innings in the ODI format.
“I think there seems to be a confusion between their style of T20 and ODI,” he said. “You have to plan in ODIs, only then it works. Bazball, forget it. I had full faith from day one that India would do well. People are talking about the batting, but our bowing is our strength. Inko Kuldeep samajh me he naheeen aaataa! [They won’t figure out Kuldeep at all].”
After retirement, Madan was briefly India coach as well. He still runs his academies in and around Delhi. He is sharp in his observations, having been in charge of the Delhi Ranji team as well. “If our bowling is to click like this, nobody can stop us,” he said. “Look at the way our top order has clicked, 70-odd runs or more in the first ten overs. That’s it, the platform has been laid.”
What about India versus England on Sunday in Lucknow? “Yeh England team to mazzak hee ban gayaa hai (This England team have become a joke),” he says. “We need to keep playing like this.”
His one pick to make a big impact is Virat Kohli, whom he backed even when he was struggling for a couple of years. “Class hai yaar, Virat, please, nobody can criticise him,” says Maddi Paaji. Such respect can come only from a cricketer who knows what he is taking about. “Dil se [From the heart],” as they say in Hindi.