C.Okay. Nayudu.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives
The Holkars, these magnificent bunch of attacking cricketers who dominated Indian cricket of their time, lend Indore cricketing historical past and context.
Between 1941 and 52, the marauding Holkars received 4 Ranji Trophy titles and reached the closing on six events.
Reminiscing about the Holkars, Madhya Pradesh off-spinning all-rounder of yesteryear and former National selector Sanjay Jagdale mentioned, “The only way they knew to play was to attack.”
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Men like C.Okay. Nayudu, an imposing cricketer, the aggressive Mushtaq Ahmed, the enticing Khandu Rangnekar and Chandu Sarwate together with his all-round potential, had been all half of Indore’s nice Holkar crew.
In truth, Sanjay Jagdale’s father M.M. Jagdale, a tremendous all-rounder, was a member of the Holkar’s Invincibles. “I used to go with my father to watch Holkar’s matches. I was thrilled to see that fearless brand of cricket,” he remembered.
Jagdale recalled Mushtaq Ali’s thrill-a-minute batsmanship. “What hand-eye coordination, what footwork! I would say he was India’s first Twenty20 player. The strokes Suryakumar Yadav is playing now, he used to play them then.”
Jagdale mentioned he spoke to and fashioned bonds with a quantity of Holkar cricketers however by no means summoned the braveness to stroll as much as C.Okay. Nayudu since he was a formidable character.
Jagdale mentioned, “C.K. Nayudu hit sixes with such ease even when past his prime. He was a gifted cricketer.”
The genial Jagdale travelled again to a match at Mhow in opposition to an Army crew on a “very bad matting wicket”. “The manner in which Mushtaq Ali batted on that track was sensational,” he mentioned.
During a time when a number of Kings made it to the Indian crew extra on clout than benefit, Jagdale revealed Holkar’s ruler Yashwant Rao would are available an all-white apparel and quietly watch the Holkars play and go away. “And he gave a free hand to C.K. Nayudu. Never interfered,” mentioned Jagdale.
Along his cricketing journey, aside from his father, Sawate guided Jagdale.
The glory days of the all-conquering Holkars lend Indore a burnished cricketing lustre.
