I wrote this article in 1994.
There are many cricketers I greatly admire, like Sunil Gavaskar,
Kapil Dev, Viv Richards, Richard Hadlee, Ian Botham, Wasim Akram etc. But of
all the cricketers I have ever seen, the
one I consider the best is the former Pakistani Cricket captain Imran Khan. And
I will explain why.
He is a top performer in his chosen field. A great fast
bowler and a correct & reliable batsman who invariably rose to the occasion
when his side needed him most. He was a good fielder too.
He has performed everywhere and in all sorts of conditions
over a career spanning 21 years. All this proves that he was a superb exponent
of his craft.
He was perhaps the best captain in recent history. He
inherited a side plagued by infighting and ego clashes and moulded it into a
world beating combination. He demanded total freedom in picking his team and
almost always justified his decisions. Once he was convinced of a player’s
potential, he would back him all the way. The players in turn were fiercely
loyal to him and would try their best under him. Wasim Akram once said that if
Imran asked him to jump in a well, he will do that without thinking twice. I
doubt if any other captain enjoyed such loyalty and respect of his team.
Imran led from the front and by personal example. There were
many occasions when he was injured or was in severe pain but would still try
his best for the team. Naturally such displays of sheer grit from their captain
inspired the team to try even harder. The Pakistan team under him performed
near miracles. In later part of his career when his bowling had lost much of
its sting, his mere presence would inspire his side to perform great feats.
In today’s age of professionalism, sportsmen sometimes try
to bend the rules to gain advantage over the opponent. Imran had a sense of
fair play and sportsman spirit. Pakistan cricket was notorious for its umpires
who invariable tilted in favour of the home side. Imran insisted on the
appointment of neutral umpires though he knew very well that winning at home
would be so much easier with home umpires. This was only his sense of fair play
which prompted him to take this courageous step. He was the pioneer of neutral
umpiring which has now become the norm.
Imran was a fighter to the core. In 1983 he suffered a
stress fracture of the shin. His leg was put in a cast and he was unable to
walk for 8 months. Few fast bowlers have fully recovered from such an injury. He
recovered through dogged determination and hard work to regain his bowling
form. He firmly believed that ‘You cannot be beaten until you give up
mentally’.
So much about Imran the Cricketer. Let’s talk about Imran,
the man.
Well read, articulate and intelligent, he has class written
all over him. His opinions on the game and other issues are very well
respected. He is hero worshipped in his country and his fan following extends
worldwide. When he announced his retirement in 1988, the president of his
country, General Zia ul Haq requested him to make a comeback and captain the
side against the mighty West Indies. This event in itself shows the esteem in
which he is held.
A teetotaller and a non-smoker, he still works hard to keep
himself fit & trim. His ambition now is to construct a Cancer Hospital
equipped with modern technology. He was appalled by the state of health
services in his country when his mother suffered and died from Cancer. With is
deep rooted conviction and dedication, he would certainly succeed in this
endeavour.
God has been kind to him too. He is extremely handsome and
looks like a Greek God. He prowls around like a tiger. With his supreme
confidence, he clearly comes across as someone strong – both mentally &
physically.
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