CK Nayudu: 15 interesting things to know about Indian cricket's first legend

Colonel Cottari Kankaiya 'CK' Nayudu, born October 31, 1895, was the first truly great cricketer India produced. He was a batsman with immense class, capable of hitting enormous sixes. With the ball, he was a steady off-spinner with impressive numbers. He was also an extremely athletic fielder. On the 121st anniversary of his birth, Shiamak Unwalla lists 15 interesting things to know about Indian cricket's first legend.

1. All-round sportsperson: As a young boy, CK played age group cricket and led his school, college, and club sides. He was also a terrific hockey and football player, and was said to have been an excellent 100-yard sprinter.

2. Cricketing family: The Amarnaths (Lala, Surinder and Mohinder) might be India's most famous cricketing family, but the Nayudu's perhaps held the mantle before that. CK was the oldest of the four cricket-playing Nayudu brothers. His younger brother CS was perhaps the second-most skilled of the lot, but CL and CR were unable to match their illustrious eldest brother. CK's sons CN and Prakash played First-Class cricket as well, as did CK's nephew Devraj Govindraj. CK's grandson Vijay was also an all-rounder of some repute who played for Madhya Pradesh in the late 1960s and 1970s.

3. Smashing MCC: It is widely accepted that Nayudu's breath-taking assault on Arthur Gilligan's MCC was the main reason India got Test status as early as 1929. It was a match between MCC and Hindus played at the Bombay Gymkhana in December 1926 that saw Indian cricket first take flight. After MCC scored 363, Hindus were reduced to 67 for 2 when Nayudu came in to bat. He was at the crease for less than two hours, but in that time he proceeded to make history. Nayudu massacred a powerful MCC attack for 153 in just 100 minutes, hitting 13 fours and 11 sixes in the process. It was that one innings that convinced Gilligan that Indian cricket was ready to be taken seriously, and within half a decade India played its first Test.

4. The first captain: Given the state of cricket administration in India in the 1930s, it ought to have been one of the royals who would lead India in its very first Test. The Maharajakumar of Vizianagram (better known as Vizzy) was in a power struggle with fellow cricket lover the Maharaja of Patiala to lead India. As it happened, both men pulled out of the 1932 tour to England, so the Maharaja of Porbandar (better known to be the birthplace of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi) was sent as captain. Porbandar knew his gross cricketing limitations, however, and graciously decided to step aside ahead of India's maiden Test, against England at Lord's. So it was that the commoner Nayudu deservingly became India's first Test captain.

5. The legend of 1932: By now India's first Test is a part of cricketing folklore. Mohammad Nissar and Amar Singh ripped through the English batting before the inexperience of India's batting came to the fore. And yet, it was Nayudu who top-scored for India in the first innings with 40. However, in the other First-Class matches of the tour, Nayudu was nigh unstoppable. The three innings that stood out were 101 against Middlesex, 162 against Warwickshire, and 130 not out against Somerset. He scored 1,613 runs at 42.44 on the tour with five centuries. In addition, he took 59 wickets at an impressive 29.33 as well. Bear in mind, Nayudu was 36 at the time.

6. From Warwickshire to Worcestershire: The 162 Nayudu hit against Warwickshire at Birmingham was arguably the most admirable innings of the tour. It came in India's second innings, with the score on a pitiful 91 for 7. Nayudu and Nariman Marshall joined forces and ended up putting on 217 in a mere 140 minutes. Nayudu's final score read 162 in three hours with 13 fours and six sixes. It was during the course of this knock that Nayudu did the unthinkable; he hit a six that crossed the Rea the river between Warwickshire and Worcestershire thereby hitting a six from one county to another!

7. Problems with Vizzy: It was a sad state of affairs in Indian administration that Vizzy was at the helm of India s 1936 tour of England. Had Vizzy been even half as competent on the field as he was corrupt, he would have been a phenomenal cricketer. As it happened, his greed far outweighed his talent, but his ample coffers ensured that Vizzy was captain of the team. His biggest opponent was Nayudu, and Vizzy did his absolute best to try and throw his weight around. Among other slights, Vizzy promised a Test debut to anyone who would insult Nayudu.

As cricket historian Arunabha Sengupta puts it, Baqa Jilani was a medium-pacer of mediocre ability, who had the good fortune of being asked to be the general to manoeuvre operations in this battle for regal honour. Vizzy lured the young man with the promise of an undeserved Test cap if he insulted Nayudu at the breakfast table The instructions were carried out and the upstart, with the backing of the regal captain, heaped abuse on the then greatest cricketer of India.

8. Strict skipper: Nayudu was an army man, and he ensured strict discipline in his men. None had it harder than his Holkar side. Nayudu was an inspirational leader, and captained Holkar to eight Ranji Trophy finals in nine years, bagging the crown on four of those occasions. He was also notorious for not letting his players drink water even in the drinks break. He made an exception for the poor Denis Compton, who turned out for Holkar.

9. Nayudu vs Mankad: The 1951-52 season of Ranji Trophy saw Holkar take on Bombay in the final. Nayudu was chairman of selectors at the time (while also captaining Holkar) and had denied Vinoo Mankad a place in India's 1952 tour of England. It was rumoured that Mankad took the slight to heart and had a grudge against Nayudu.

While the then-56-year-old Nayudu was batting it is speculated, by Raj Singh Dungarpur among others, that Mankad asked Dattu Phadkar to bounce Nayudu. Whether or not it was deliberate might never be known, but Phadkar bowled a bumper that struck Nayudu in the jaw. Nayudu immediately started bleeding, and a doctor was immediately rushed onto the field. As players clamoured around him, Nayudu spat out his broken teeth, swept them off the pitch, and continued batting. He also instructed Phadkar not to hesitate before bowling another bouncer. Nayudu ended up scoring 66.

10. Second wind with UP: Nayudu retired in 1952-53, but was back to action by 1956-57. Now 61, Nayudu returned to captain Uttar Pradesh. In his second match for UP, he took on a Rajasthan attack which included GS Ramchand and his old foe Mankad. He ended up scoring 84 after coming in to bat at 26 for 4.

11. Narrowly missing out on 50: Nayudu played his first First-Class match in 1916-17, and continued till 1963-64. His overall career lasted nearly five decades, in which he featured in 207 matches, scoring 11,825 runs at 35.94 and taking 411 wickets at 29.28.

12. Chain smoker: Despite his strict military discipline, Nayudu had one vice that he could never kick. He was a chain smoker, and his death was largely blamed on his excessive smoking.

13. Honours abound: Nayudu s status as an Indian cricket legend was cemented when, in 1955, he became the first cricketer to win the Padma Bhushan award. Prior to that, he was named one of Wisden s cricketers of the year in 1933. He was also named Indian Cricket Cricketer of the Year in 1950-51, and was inducted in the Wisden India Hall of Fame in 2014.

14. The next colonel: Years after Nayudu retired from First-Class cricket, a young Mumbai batsman with a similarly straight back burst onto the scene. Dilip Vengsarkar, who would go on to be the No. 1 ranked batsman in the world for a while, came to be known as Colonel, a reference to Nayudu.

15. Legacy: The impact Nayudu had on Indian cricket can be seen in the number of tributes to him. The national Under-25 tournament was christened the CK Nayudu Trophy. His hometown of Nagpur has a street named after him while the Vidarbha Cricket Association has a bronze bust with his likeness on the grounds. Meanwhile, in the city of Indore (Madhya Pradesh used to be Holkar in the Ranji Trophy) there is a CK Nayudu stand in the Nehru Stadium. The banquet hall at the Cricket Club of India (CCI) is also named after Nayudu. Perhaps most tellingly, the lifetime achievement award for Indian cricketers is called The CK Nayudu Award.

Nayudu's city, Indore, hosted its first-ever Test in October 2016. It was the third Test of the series between India and New Zealand. Nayudu was paidd tribute and the presenters exhibited his kit bag from the 1920s.