Noshir Mehta is back at Gymkhana Grounds where he first played for SUCC in the HCA League – exactly 50 years ago. And, when this 66-year-old former Hyderabad Ranji off-spinner played for Roshanara against Hyderabad Panthers in the A-Division league match on Sunday, he set a rare record of longevity.
Sunday morning was a sentimental journey, with old-timers B. Mohan, Maheshwar Singh, N. Prahlad, Jyothi Prasad, Vijaya Paul, Abdul Bari Wahab, his mentor P.R. Man Singh, India left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha and former Davis Cupper S.P. Misra in attendance.
“The passion for the sport keeps me going and I will continue to play as long as I retain it,” says Mehta, who took 146 Ranji wickets between 1967 and 1977, playing mostly under the legendary M.L. Jaisimha.
Like most old-timers, the Lal Bahadur Stadium was the hunting ground for this gentleman cricketer whose favourite was Salim Durrani. He fondly recalls how he clean-bowled the great Sunil Gavaskar and Ashok Mankad in a Ranji game.
“Yes, it was a pity that my career ran parallel to the likes of the great Prasanna, whom I believe to be the best ever off-spinner, and Venkataraghavan. But, still the fact that I played with them along with Chandra for South Zone was itself a major achievement and a great experience,” he recalls with a big smile.
Some of Mehta’s most memorable feats include his personal best six-wicket haul against Tamil Nadu in Ranji Trophy in 1970, a record second-wicket partnership with Maheshwar Singh of about 480 in the Behraum-ud-Dowla Cup for State Bank of Hyderabad, the highest individual score of 55 not out in the then highly-popular single-wicket tournament, the next-best being Budi Kunderan (48) and Jaisimha (45).
“It has been a wonderful journey so far. Yes, the biggest regret is that I never got a chance to play for India. Perhaps, it is destiny’s call that I had to be content with only first-class cricket,” a philosophical Mehta said.
“And, this long journey is possible because of my parents (his father S. R. Mehta himself was an outstanding cricketer) and my wife Yasmin. They make me enjoy the game with the same passion even now,” he says.
Noshir signs off with a tinge of disgust at the falling standards of the HCA Leagues now. “I can tell you that 99 per cent of the current Hyderabad Ranji Trophy would not have got selected for the then prestigious Zonals itself, leave alone for the State,” he concluded.
