Glory days of all-conquering Holkars

During days when several Kings made it to the Indian team more on clout than merit, Holkar’s ruler Yashwant Rao would come in an all white attire and quietly watch the Holkars play and leave.

FILE PHOTO: C. K. Nayudu (right) chatting with Holkar and the Maharani of Indore during a match in Indore (Published in Sport and Pastime on November 05, 1949). | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES

The Holkars, those magnificent bunch of attacking cricketers who dominated Indian cricket in their time, lend Indore, cricketing history and context. 

Between 1941 and 52, the marauding Holkars won four Ranji Trophy titles and reached the final on six occasions.

Reminiscing the Holkars, Madhya Pradesh off-spinning all-rounder from the days gone by and former National selector, Sanjay Jagdale said, “The only way they knew to play was to attack.”

Men like C.K. Nayudu, an imposing cricketer, the aggressive Mushtaq Ahmed, the attractive  Khandu Rangnekar and Chandu Sarwate with his all-round ability, were all a part of Indores’s great Holkar team.

FILE PHOTO: Former national selector Sanjay Jagdale. | Photo Credit: Vivek Bendre / The Hindu

In fact, Jagdale’s father M.M. Jagdale, a fine all-rounder, was a member of the Holkar’s Invincibles.

Remembered Sanjay Jagdale, “I used to go with my father to see Holkar’s matches. I was thrilled to see that fearless brand of cricket.”

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Jagdale recalled Mushtaq Ali’s thrill-a-minute batsmanship. “What hand-eye coordination, what footwork! I would say he was India’s first Twenty20 player. The strokes Suryakumar Yadav is playing now, he used to play them then.”

Jagdale said he spoke to and formed bonds with a number of Holkar cricketers but never summoned the courage to walk up to C.K. Nayudu since he was a formidable personality.

Jagdale said, “C.K. Nayudu hit sixes with such ease even when past his prime . He was a gifted cricketer.”

FILE PHOTO: Former Indian cricketer C.K. Nayudu. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES

The genial Jagdale travelled back to a match at Mhow against an Army team on a “very bad matting wicket.”

“The manner in which Mushtaq Ali batted on that track was sensational,” he said.

During days when several Kings made it to the Indian team more on clout than merit, Jagdale revealed Holkar’s ruler Yashwant Rao would come in an all white attire and quietly watch the Holkars play and leave. 

“And he gave a free hand to C.K. Nayudu. Never interfered.” said Jagdale. 

Along his cricketing journey, apart from his father, Sawate guided Jagdale. 

The glory days of the all-conquering Holkars lend Indore a burnished cricketing lustre.