MUMBAI: Former Test openers Madhav Apte and Nari Contractor today recalled CK Nayudu's contribution to the game in India on his 122nd birth anniversary.
Both of them fondly narrated an anecdote from a domestic match where Nayudu went on to score a half-century with a broken tooth after being hit on the face.
Nayudu, born on October 31, 1895, was India’s first Test captain. A book titled ‘A Colonel Destined to Lead’ on Naidu is being penned by Aditya Bhushan, the cover of which was launched at the CCI here by Apte and Contractor.
Apte, who played in that Ranji Trophy final in 1952, recalled it was the then Bombay and India all-rounder Dattu Phadkar who had bowled the bouncer to Nayudu.
"He (Phadkar) bowled a bouncer and CK stepped out and lost his tooth. I was fielding and we all ran up to him. He shoved us away, took his stance again, batted and batted on beautifully and made 60 odd runs, including a couple of sixes.
His partner at that time was Mamasaheb (MM) Jagdale," recalled Apte, who played seven Test matches for India.
"And don’t touch me he (Nayudu) said, took out his handkerchief, picked up the tooth which had fallen down, put it in his pocket, continued and scored over 60 runs," quipped Contractor.
Saying that fitness mattered to "CK" a lot, Contractor described Nayudu as a "strict" captain.