Any journey down the memory lane is enjoying. I played only street cricket still, when we won the Prudential Cup in 1983, I felt as if I were a part of the Indian team! Till 1979, no team had won the West Indies in the Prudential Cup. When Sri Lanka scored a point against West Indies, courtesy rain spoilt match, Sri Lankan captain Tenekon joked that Sri Lanka was the first team to score a point against West Indies.

June 9, 1983, the World Cup-3 started and produced two great upsets of the cup. Zimbabwe aided by Duncan Fletcher beat Australia. The second upset involved India who had won only one match till then beating East Africa in 1975. The game between India and Windies started late due to rains. Yashpal scored 80+ runs and it was Sandhu’s swing sent Greenidge back home. Earlier, Sandhu dismissed Greenidge in a similar fashion at Trinidad. Then it was Madan and Binny who wrapped the rest of the team on 10^th of June (as the play continued for the next day) not before Roberts and Garner gave us jitters with a 71 run stand.

The other league games did not worth mentioning, however, the glaring feature being Sunil Gavaskar turning out to be the Lucky- face of India. India lost both the games in which Sunil Gavaskar was rested. Vengsarkar was hit on the chin by Marshall and he was rested for the rest of the world cup.

On June 18, India faced Zimbabwe, who were all set to stage another upset. India was 4 wickets down for mere 9 runs and sooner it was 17 for five. Kapil dev ably supported by Kirmani, Madan and Binny scored a magnificent 175 of 138 balls with 19 fours and 6 sixes. No doubt, it was the mother of all “victory-steered-by-single-man”. Any defeat in Turnbridge Wells would have ruled out India from the race. Still, it was not over. We have to beat Australia to book a berth to semi-Finals. Srikkanth, Yashpal, Patil and Extras helped us to score a win over Australia.

With five wins from six league matches, England was over-confident to discuss their strategy for finals & not to bother about semi-finals. Though they started off well, the brilliant fielding of India put pressure on them. The direct throw by Yashpal to run out Lamb was the pick of the lot. Kirti Azad who had bowled only 2 overs till then was tried against Botham and he responded well by taking his wicket. This match produced highest opening partnership in the World cup-3 for India. Srikkanth & Gavaskar carved out a nice innings followed by Mohinder & Yashpal. However, it was Sandip Patil with his 32 ball knock of 51 made things pretty easier. England took time to come out of the shock and Gower responded saying, “Indians learnt that fielding can win matches and it was Kapildev’s captaincy brought them their deserving victory!”

The following weekend was so special not because it was the last day of my summer vacation but I got a chance to track the Prudential Cup Final. We did not have a television set at home and was hooked onto commentary. I lived in a place then named Tiruvallikkeni (Triplicane of Chennai) where everyone would discuss on any subject for hours together and if it meant cricket, then would discuss for days! So, we did a community-listening of the commentary.  

Obviously, the organizers were not enthusiastic as none thought India would play Windies in the final. The turnout was poor as it seemed to be a one-sided match! Old war horse Clive won the toss & chose to field hoping to cash on the early dews. As expected Marshall got rid of Sunil Gavaskar in the 3^rd over however, Srikkanth provided some drama as he hooked Roberts for a four. He was met with a faster bouncer now but Cheeka pulled this one now for a six! The third one was a superb cover drive from Cheeka that was belted to four again! In the earlier over he sliced Garner over the slips for a four! In all, Cheeka scored 7 boundaries and a six in his 38. From 100/4, we kept on losing wickets. Thanks to runs from Madan, Kirmani and Sandhu, and of course extras we posted a respectable total of 183.

The result was written on the wall. The entire cricket fraternity knew it’s a cake-walk for Windies! Kapil set a fielding as if it were a Test Match. Then, Sandhu produced the gem of an in-swinger (banana-skin swinger) that deceived Greenidge (for the 3^rd time) and hit the stumps. Richards, the master-blaster walked in & started belting all around. In such an over-confident pull that skied high, Kapil ran behind to hold-on the one-of-the-best catches in ODI history! Richards (33 from 28) was out and the score read 50 for 2. Panic prevailed now in Windies camp. Not used to over-cautious approach, Windies started breaking down aided by tight bowling from Binny and Madan. Bacchus was hit on stumps by a direct throw from Srikkanth however; the umpire could not see it as the bowler came in-between. However, this did not cost us much as Bacchus was out next over! Then Dujon and Marshal started to build the innings for Windies.

Then Mohinder was brought into the attack. In a sense of urgency, Dujon played on and the reaction expressed by him told that Windies have already lost the match. After that it was all ritualistic and India wrapped the trophy in an unexpected manner. It was all fine till here!

The lesson we learn from the history is “we do not learn from the history!” When India won the World Cup, we had no stars but we had a team. The team composition was excellent. Contrasting openers one conventional and the other totally opposite, splendid support down the order from Mohinder, Vengsarkar, Yashpal, Patil. It had performing all-rounders in Kapildev, Kirti Azad, Madanlal, and Binny. Kirmani the keeper with useful bat. Seam bowlers who can swing was our weapon. We had disciplined bowlers in Sandhu, Madan, and Binny to exploit the English conditions.

The typical composition won India another trophy in 1985 at Australia against all teams! Alas! After that neither India got a team nor did it win! In today’s team, we have stars but no team. Cricket has become more of money-game than sports!

We, Indians are famous for basking in past glory. We did the same in hockey, we are doing it to Chess and now it is the turn of Cricket! These trophies should be an inspiration to us but we enjoy this as an entertaining episode! Gavaskar was made to sit out when he did not perform whereas we cannot do this to Dhoni or Sachin! Meritocracy had a place and not zonal quota system of selection.

If we are not ready to learn even now, we can do in what we have the mastery (by doing it again and again) – Basking in past glory!