Cricketing legend G.R. Viswanath’s autobiography ‘Wrist Assured’, co-authored by senior journalist R. Kaushik, was released at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday.
The event to unveil the 266-page long book was graced by a glittering array of stars, including Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Saurav Ganguly and Roger Binny. India coach Rahul Dravid and match-referee of the ongoing India-Sri Lanka Test Javagal Srinath were in attendance too.
Terming Viswanath his “first hero”, Kapil recollected the time when he took the batting great’s autograph as a schoolboy. “It was the first autograph I took, after the team came back from the West Indies. He is my all-time hero.”
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“He was a gentleman cricketer. I wish I could be like him. This book should have come like 20 years back. But I'm very happy it is finally out.”
Ganguly, going back to his own childhood days in Kolkata, said Viswanath was among his first inspirations. “My father started taking me to the Eden Gardens as early as a five-year-old, even before I knew how to play cricket. I watched you [Kapil and Viswanath] as early as then. It's a pleasure and an honour for me to be at this function,” Ganguly said.
On the dais, Viswanath stood at one of the ends, didn’t hold a copy of the book all through and spoke last. Modesty is in his bones after all.
“I have played cricket for many years, but I have never experienced an atmosphere like this,” he said. “Today is one of the best days of my life. I had Kapil to my right and Gavaskar to my left… two of the greatest cricketers ever…it was such a privilege. I want to thank my family, friends and State Bank of India, with whom I worked for a long time for helping all along."
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