3 Indian Cricketers who did a Tamim Iqbal

Mohinder Amarnath – India vs West Indies at Barbados in 1983

Mohinder Amarnath - Courage thy name Jimmy

Mohinder Amarnath had the courage to comment the selectors as a “ bunch of jokers”. But he had shown his courage not only in words but also in action in the middle.

India toured the West Indies in March 1983 just a couple of months before the famous World Cup win. Every Indian expected the legendary Sunil Gavaskar and Gundappa Viswanath to come good in the series. No one expected Mohinder Amarnath, who was coming back into the Indian team after a long break, to be the saviour of the team.

West Indies had their fast bowling quartet of Andy Roberts, Joel Garner, Michael Holding, and Malcolm Marshall. During those heydays of Windies Cricket, the slogan was “ If Roberts and Garner don’t get you, Holding and Marshall certainly will”. The four fast bowlers were relentless and the batsmen had nowhere to hide.

In the fourth Test of the series at Barbados, West Indies won the toss and put India into bat on a green top. Amarnath scored a brilliant 91 in the first innings with the help of six fours and three sixes.

In the second innings, when on 18, Mohinder Amarnath was struck by a bouncer from Malcolm Marshall and needed hospitalisation. Transported to hospital, Amarnath needed six stitches. Amarnath then returned to the dressing room, washed the blood stains from his shirt and re-entered the crease at the fall of the fifth wicket. Greeted immediately with a bouncer from Holding, Amarnath hooked it for a six. Amarnath went on to make 80. Such was his guts and gumption.

That West Indies series was remembered for only two things. Amarnath’s batting exploits throughout the series against the West Indies fast bowling quartet. Particularly his gritty innings at Barbados after he was felled by a bouncer from Marshall.

The second happening was India’s first one day win against the West Indies which came at Berbice in Guyana. Many thought that the seeds for the 1983 World Cup win were sown at Berbice.