Vijay Hazare
I had heard so much about him that when we went to Australia in 1947-48, I wasvery eager to meet him. Before we left for Sydney from Darwin, the locals warnedus of the Don. He was God to the people out there. This made me more curiousabout this man who already was a legend. Surprisingly he landed up at the Sydneyairport to receive the Indian team. He was a very down to earth person and seemedto be very friendly. He also played the perfect host. He used to come down tothe Indian dressing room to ask if we needed anything. More than a greatbatsman, he was a fine human being. And that's why I feel so upset that he isgone.
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(Vijay Hazare, now nearing his 86th. birthday, scored a century in eachinnings at Adelaide in the same series. He also got Bradman out thrice duringthat tour, once clean-bowling him at 13)
Chandrasekhar Sarwate
When I first saw him he appeared shorter than I thought he was, though I hadread that he was not a very tall man. Watching him bat from a close range was anexperience. He was very athletic, had keen eyes and was gifted with lighteningfootwork. He was a modest man but he didn't mix much socially with his own team.When the rest of the Australian team was drinking at the bar, he would go to hisroom and listen to music or do something like that. He believed that when a match was on, he should concentrateon the game. During the first class match between Australia XI and India atSydney where he eventually scored his 100th first class century, he was geared up for the occasion. Keith Miller who was a fiery chapand Don were in 20s at one time. But soon, Don reached 150 and Keith was stillin the 40s. Keith later accused Bradman for being selfish. Don faced most of thebowling, scoring a single or three runs off the last ball of the over. Keith wasnot entirely wrong but to Bradman, notching up the 100th century was a bigoccasion. He was mostly smiling when he was batting, making the whole thing look easy. He was a good runner between thewickets and a good fielder too. When he was young he used to field at cover. Ashe got older he took the mid-on position.
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(Sarwate, 80, had one of the longest first class careers for an Indianplayer and put on 124 runs for the first wicket with Vinoo Mankad at Melbournein 1948)
CS Nayudu
He was a top class gentleman. Once during the tour of Australia in 1947-48, Ibeat him four times in an over. At lunch he came searching for me. He asked meif he could sit with me. I obviously said I'd only be too glad to sit with him. He then told me, "how can you bowl like that. I don'tunderstand your bowling." I can never forget those words.
(Younger brother of the more famous CK, Nayudu, now approaching 87,couldn't speak for long to Manu)
