Rohan Kanhai

It might come as a surprise to many to find out that Rohan Kanhai actually started off as a wicketkeeper- batsman. In fact he kept wickets for his first three Tests for West Indies. It is as a dashing and adventurous batsman that he is still revered. Considered by many to be the best batsman of the 60s, Kanhai was also a crowd puller in his own right.

The Guyanese batsman had a few trademark shots, the chief among them being the falling hook shot. When he completed this stroke, he would actually be lying on his back on the ground. He had to wait until his 13th Test to make his first Test ton but was unstoppable thereafter. It came against India in Calcutta and he had a prolific tour too. He soon became a darling of the Indian crowd who did not mind even if their team was losing, they cheered on for Kanhai. Such was his impact on people in India that Sunil Gavaskar named his son, Rohan, after Kanhai, whom he considered the greatest batsman he had ever seen.

Kanhai managed to hold his own even while playing with the likes of the three W's and Garry Sobers and soon took over from the latter as the captain of West Indies. He enjoyed success and failure in equal proportions as a captain. In 1974, his form dipped and West Indies only managed a draw at home against England. This forced him to retire from Tests. He played a handful of ODIs and was a part of the successful campaign in 1975. He even managed a fifty in the final of the tournament.

After retirement, Kanhai became the first man to be named as a coach for the national side. He served until 1995 when Andy Roberts took over.

In April 2013, Rohan Kanhai was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame.

By Ganesh Chandrasekaran