Syed Kirmani was a natural behind the stumps. He was light on his feet and lightning quick with the big gloves. And the stylish and classical Kiri ‘bhai’ elevated ’keeping into an ‘art’ form.
Yet, Kirmani, now, seemed resigned to the changing demands of modern-day cricket when a ’keeper was picked more for his batting ability than work with the gloves.
It was with both sadness and a sense of bowing to the inevitable that he said here on Sunday, “The idea of a specialist wicketkeeper is gone.”
Coming from a ’keeping giant of the past, it was a big statement. “Even K.L. Rahul keeps wickets these days,” quipped Kirmani.
He observed, “These days, teams want a batsman who can also ’keep, add another dimension to his game, be an all-rounder. In my time ’keeping took precedence.”
Kirmani was not willing to pick the best wicketkeeper in the country. “They are all in the process of becoming better wicket-keepers. It’s hard to say who is the best.”
Queried about M.S. Dhoni’s rather unorthodox but effective ’keeping methods, Kirmani replied, “They say, we want results not technique. And that’s what Dhoni has been doing.”
Kirmani said, “During the 2011 World Cup, some criticised Dhoni for his technique. But he took the country to the top, led from the front.”
The ace stumper who ’kept to the famous Indian spin quartet said, “It is not right for people to point out flaws in Dhoni’s keeping. He has contributed so much to Indian cricket.”
Asked whether a dropped catch by the ’keeper might eventually outweigh the runs he scored, Kirmani flashed a smile and shrugged.
