Shastri arrives

Following the high of the win at Melbourne in 1981 after a long & grueling tour in which Gavaskar’s men drew the Test series 1 – 1, the Indians moved to New Zealand for a three-Test series.

The beginning of the tour was terrible. India losing the ODI’s at Auckland and Hamilton and drawing the three-day game against Central Districts at Napier. News from the fitness front wasn’t good either.

Doshi and Shiv Lal Yadav hadn’t recovered from their injuries and Ghavri too wasn’t fit for the first Test at Wellington. On the eve of the match, the team management were a worried lot. An SOS had earlier been sent to BCCI for a replacement but young Ravi Shastri hadn’t arrived – he was to do so late in the evening.

So bad was the situation that Bapu Nadkarni, the Assisstant manager & Wing Cmndr. Durrani were worried whom they would send as 12th man ; the latter jokingly suggesting to yours truly to do the job in between commentary spells.

India went in with three debutants – Ravi Shastri who hadn’t been a part of India’s tour to Australia, Yograj Singh (father of Yuvraj Singh & Kapil’s schoolmate from Chandigarh) and Kirti Azad. The Latter two hadn’t done much of note in Australia but Azad’s century against central districts gave him an opportunity.

Batting first on a seamer friendly wicket with bitterly cold winds sweeping in from the sea at Basin Reserve in windy Wellington, New Zealand anchored by skipper Geoff Howarth’s century (137 not out) reached a healthy 375. Kapil 3 for 112 was expensive, clearly not adjusting to the New Zealand pitches so early after the Australian sojourn.

Whilst Shastri took 3 for 54 in his 28 overs of spin – his first victim Jeremy Coney being caught and bowled. It was an auspicious start to an excellent career.

Barring Patil (64) and to an extent Vengsarkar (39), India’s batting failed against the seaming ball. Lance Cairns indippers causing havoc (5 for 33). India had yet again conceded a huge first innings lead, Shastri batting at No. 10 remaining 3 not out.

Spurred by a brilliant and incisive spell by Kapil Dev (4 for 34) and ably supported yet again by Shastri (3 for 9 in 3 overs), India bowled New Zealand out for 100. India needed to make 252 to win with two days to go for the Test.

Yet again the Indian seniors perished cheaply, only Patil again (42) & to an extent Vengsarkar (26) and Binny (26 not out) offered resistance. Ravi Shastri again batting at No. 10 added 34 with Binny for the 9th wicket before he fell for 19. India bowled out for 190, lost a Test they should’ve won, by 62 runs.

Yograj Singh who took 1 for 63 and didn’t bowl in the second innings due to an injury and was destined never to play a Test again for India as he was replaced by Ghavri for the second Test and by Yadav for the third Test. The other debutant Kirti Azad who got 20 and 16 also didn’t get a look in for the rest of the tour. Yashpal Sharma in the Second and T.E. Srinivasan replacing him in the third Test.

But Shastri with his approach to both batting and bowling had convinced all that he belonged to the higher grade.

India lost the Test series in New Zealand 0 – 1 as the second Test at Christchurch was drawn mainly because of weather (Shastri not out 12 at No. 10 again) and 2 for 65 in 42 overs in New Zealand’s unfinished first innings.

The third Test at Auckland was drawn, with New Zealand 95 for 5, set 157 to win. Shastri promoted to No. 7 made five and nine but made amends with the ball (5 for 125 and 2 for 24). His tally of 15 wickets at 18.46 was India’s best, Kapil with eight wickets at 31.87 being a distant second.