Born in Kabul, the tall and handsome Salim Durrani was an ‘impact’ player for India. “We want a six” the crowd would chant and he would dismiss the ball beyond the ropes.
Fittingly, Durrani, now 83, was invited by the BCCI for the inauguration of the historic Test and walked out with the captains for the toss.
A brutal striker of the ball and a gifted left-arm spinner with a lazy action, the flamboyant Durrani could do magic when in mood.
He told The Hindu on Thursday, “I left Kabul when I was three years old. We passed through the Khyber and shifted to Gujarat. I came from a sporting family, my father was a wicket-keeper but my grandfather played football. We still speak Pashtun at home.”
Dwelling on the special occasion, he said, “I am so happy for Afghanistan cricket. They play from their heart, enjoy their cricket and any side that does that will make its mark.”
“But you have to give the team some time. They have done well in one-day and T20 matches. They will improve in Test cricket as well.”
Batting needs improvement
He had words of praise for spinners Rashid Khan and Mujeeb but said the Afghans would need to improve their batting. “Perhaps, I can teach them how to strike the ball long and fearlessly,” he quipped.
On a more serious note, Durrani said, “I can arrange a one-hour for the Afghan batsman with Sunil Gavaskar baba. After that they will come out with so much knowledge about the art of batting.”
Durrani, who played for Jolly Rovers in the TNCA first division league, made eager enquiries about The Hindu and Dasaprakash. “They used to support cricket and the players so much. I can never forget those days.”
The charismatic Durrani was a star attraction here at the start of the historic Test.
