H. R. ADHIKARI



🏏🏏

Lt Col. H. R. ADHIKARI
(31 Jul 1919 - 25 Oct 2003)

Lieutenant Colonel Hemchandra Ramachandra "Hemu" Adhikari, born in Poona, represented India both as a player and a legendary coach in a career that spanned three decades...

A right-handed batsman and an occasional leg-spin bowler, Adhikari came into the international scene a decade after his entry into first-class cricket as a teenager in the 1936/37 domestic season...

Adhikari made his Test debut at the age of 28, in 1947 on India's tour of Australia. Comfortable and courageous against both pace and spin, he is remembered for the Indian record 109-run last wicket partnership with Ghulam Ahmed in a Test against Pakistan, which stood for over fifty odd years till Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan eclipsed it...

Adhikari captained India in one Test even as he neared his fortieth birthday, scoring 63 and 40 and taking three important wickets in a drawn Test against the West Indies in 1959 which boasted of the menacing duo of Wes Hall and Roy Gilchrist...

Retiring from first-class cricket after the 59-60 season with an excellent average of 41.74, Adhikari donned the mantle of a coach. The military man in him being always fit and agile, he worked hard upon the Indian fielding aspect which probably made a huge difference on that historic tour of 1971 that he managed along with captain Wadekar. His wisdom had also helped many Indian cricketers like Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Ravi Shastri, Mohinder Amarnath, Syed Kirmani to name a few...

From 21 Tests, Adhikari scored 872 runs with 1 ton and 4 half-tons, unbeaten 114 as his highest, with 3 wickets and 8 catches...

Representing Baroda, Gujarat, Hindus and Services on the domestic front, Adhikari played 152 first class games, scored 8683 runs, 17 tons and 45 half-tons, unbeaten 230 as his highest, with 49 wickets and 97 catches...

Recipient of the C.K. Nayudu award in 2000, Adhikari passed away this day in 2003 at the age of 84, in Thane. Indian cricket writer  Suresh Menon paid his tribute thus -

"Adhikari was not a big man yet he was a presence. He will be remembered for his role in Indian cricket's self-confidence movement that began with that series win in 1971."


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