“In 1971, the Ranji centenary match was organized in Jamnagar. Australian cricketers Ross Edwards and Bob Massie had also come. The team included the legendary Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, Abid Ali, ML Jaisimha, Eknath Solkar and Sunil Gavaskar, But the spectators had come to see Salim Durani bat, and the left-hander didn’t disappoint. His knock of 75 included sixes hit which went out of the ground,” Jadeja mentioned.
Legendary opener Sunil Gavaskar mentioned he was once “fortunate” to have made his debut (again in 1971 within the West Indies) with a star-studded Indian workforce, which had the nice all-rounder in it as a senior member.
Referring to Durani as ‘Salim uncle,’ he advised TOI, “One of the greatest-ever and the nicest, nicest, nicest of men. So generous. I was fortunate and blessed to have made my debut in a team which had players like ALW (Ajit Wadekar), MLJ (ML Jaisimha), Prassie (Erapalli Prasanna), Sardee maan (Dilip Sardesai) and Salim uncle to
name a few.
Gavaskar added: “He would have long gone for optimum at an IPL public sale as of late.” Former left-arm seamer Karsan Ghavri mentioned Durani had a large have an effect on on cricket enthusiasts the ones days. “In 1972-73, when England came here under Tony Lewis, they were to play a Test at the Brabourne Stadium in Bombay (now Mumbai).
That was the first time I saw him play in a Test. Initially, he wasn’t named in the 14 for that Test. However, following massive protests by the cricket-loving public of Bombay and media pressure (TOI carried a big headline: No Salim Durani, no Test match in Bombay), the BCCI was forced to include him in the squad as the 15th member.
Once he was in the 15, he had to be included in the XI. Fans had threatened they would burn down the stadium and the BCCI office if he didn’t play in the match!” To set up Ghavri.
“I noticed that fit whilst sitting within the North Stand. He scored 73. He gave tadi (ruled) to the likes of Derek Underwood and Pat Pocock. In that Test, he famously hit sixes anyplace the group sought after him to hit! That was once the extent of his recognition,” mentioned Ghavri.
Narrating every other incident, the previous left-arm seamer mentioned, “Those two balls he bowled to dismiss Gary Sobers and Clive Lloyd turned out to be historic deliveries’ in the 1971 victory at Port-of-Spain.
He told his roommate Dilip Sardesai the previous innings about his wish to get Sobers out. When Sobers came to bat, Sardesai passed on that message to Wadekar, and suggested he bring Durani on.
Wadekar accepted that suggestion, and….the rest, as they say, is history.
If that was not enough, he hit a hundred against a West Indian attack which included Wes Hall and Charlie Griffith.”
On January 13 this 12 months, Durani had passed through proximal femoral nail surgical procedure on his damaged thigh bone to regard a fall he suffered at his house.
“After this surgical procedure, he was once steered mattress relaxation. For two months, he was once ok. He used to take forged meals. But two weeks again, he began keeping off forged meals, possibly on account of digestive problems or overall loss of bodily process. He began taking liquid meals however grew susceptible,” mentioned Jaypalsinh Jadeja.
Durani was once the primary cricketer to be bestowed with the Arjuna Award, India’s 2d very best carrying honour.
In 2011, the BCCI venerated Durani with the CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award.