Remembering Jaggu

by L. Swaminathan

The 93-year old author was a close friend of the late S.R. Jagannathan.

Jaggu was a loveable, endearing man, a privilege to have as a friend. But it was all cricket with him, ever. I used to know him, remember him in my younger days, as that player for Egmore. I am talking about the years around and after the 1940s. As a boy (playing for PS High School), I used to go along on Sundays when (Mylapore) Kamyuth Club used to play league (cricket). Of course, I was too young to be in the team. Tendulkars were not accepted those days.

When Jaggu started cricket as a player, rarely did I talk to him whenever I had a chance to see him in the field. He developed into a fine (leg) spin bowler, an all rounder in fact. It is a shame that I never played league cricket. I regret this because I would’ve clashed with this man Jaggu with my bat.

Politics took me away from cricket for two years. In between, I resumed cricket only at Allahabad in 1943. I had the fortune of being an opening batsman for my university along with my captain (Prince) Balendu Shah who in 1947-48 became eminent as captain of the UP Ranji team. And then I left for USA on training in 1946… thus never again to play cricket. Shame on me. One day watching the Brooklyn Dodgers clash with the Boston team was enough for me. How could you call this a game? This mock form of Gali Danda this is called baseball – of my village. It was and is cricket ever and ever. Thus it’s Jaggu for me ever.

But with Jaggu it was ever cricket. In the history of Indian cricket, I doubt whether there could be many like Jaggu. So devoted. No wonder he never missed a single committee meeting of the Madras Cricket Association (later Tamil Nadu Cricket Association). He was, of course, a Vice-President and all that. And I am emboldened to make this statement. If, like me Jaggu had an opportunity to go to the USA for studies, I am quite sure that Jaggu would’ve declined. Of course if it took him to UK, he’d have gladly gone. He would then be playing on turf that was denied to us in those days. It was either coir mat or jute mat for us. I believe even Kanpur had only a matting wicket for Test matches. Today, of course, Kanpur like any other Test venue in India has turf wickets.

Jaggu had come to know that I was a writer of ‘sorts’. Once, he pulled me aside at a concert, even as music permeated the air.

“Swaminathaa! How could you ever? I mean how could you be a writer?”

“Ah Jaggu! Why not Jaggu! If one is a cricketer and even if he is not a great cricketer, but dedicated to cricket. Nothing is impossible to him in life.”

And I told Jaggu what that century-an in real life and century-an of many innings for Maharashtra, Poojya Sri Professor Deodhar told me, at, of all places, Chicago in 1947 in front of his beloved daughter Tara who was a student there:

“Remember, Cricket is Thapas.”

Nothing is beyond a Thapaswi. If Jaggu fancied something else in life, it was there for the taking. But Jaggu was totally devoted to cricket. And with that devotion he founded Straight Bat.

But I doubt whether many a batsman plays with a Straight Bat today. You don’t really need a cricket bat for T-20s. A large wide danda would do, ah?

And Jaggu ever remembered. When on an Annual Day, Jaggu had invited the one and only Kapil Dev as honoured guest, Jaggu remembered his elders. The “deities” (idols) of yesteryears. I had the privilege of bringing with me old Sambasivam of Kamyuth Club (now defunct) and then great all-rounder (batsman, pace bowler, hockey wizard) M.J. Gopalan. Together with A.G. Ram Singh and a few others, they were all sitting together at the front, even as Kapil was honoured with a diamond ring for bringing glory to Indian cricket. Jaggu may not be so particular with the “God of Gods” at Tirupati. In honouring Kapil with this costly gem, he was only paying his respects to his God Cricket.

When on another occasion Jaggu decided to honour India’s greatest and foremost opening batsman Sunil Gavaskar, summons were issued (like court order). His friend, Swaminathan, must be ready with a speech to welcome Sunil Gavaskar.

Just a couple of days before, a sort of tragedy hit Swaminathan: chicken pox. The cassette was promptly dispatched to Straight Bat, ready for the occasion. Nothing could and should stop Jaggu. Swaminathan, lying on the floor as a patient, receives a phone call – Urgent. Whom else from than Jaggu?

“Tomorrow, come what may, you dress up well, cover up your ‘bubbles’ and read out your speech at the function and then you may leave.”

That was Jaggu’s commitment. That was Jaggu for you.

Nothing stops Jaggu, if it has anything to do with Cricket.

Of course, I could not make it. The function went off well, I heard from friends. They even narrated to me how Sunil began his address. Usually in cricket, it is a batsman who gets all the attention. And Sunil Gavaskar was senior to Kapil as well. Normally, he should’ve been honoured before Kapil. Yet, the Little Master, the batsman of all times said:

“I am of course ever the opening batsman for India. But remember only after the bowler bowls my work begins. No wonder I am to face you all only after our pace bowler Kapil. So I congratulate Straight Bat for this small detail.”

Jaggu had scored even here.

Cricketers in India today, in the hi-tech world, cannot imagine what all has gone into this game called ‘Cricket’, invented by the British. Many have served this game. They served out of love and endearment and not for any status or monetary gain. I recall how that fast bowler from Madras, that policeman as A.F.S. Talayarkhan used to call him, Rangachary, took leave for a week, took a third class ticket by GT Express and in the morning at the Feroze Shah Kotla broke the stumps of one of the three “Ws”.

I remember my friend P.E. Palia with a small furniture shop, making a living at Bangalore in his later years. The list is endless. Not only did he play for India, he was also a national selector. Jaggu, as a teenager, as a player, today would probably be “sold” for many lakhs.

India had many Jaggus those days all over the country. They served cricket in many ways. Jaggu never played for India. No need to. Let lesser men than the likes of Jaggu play for India.

But if India is ranked amongst the top cricketing countries, it is due to the service rendered by so many dedicated men like Jaggu.

Yet, no one remembers the Jaggus. So what?

For them all that mattered was cricket. – (Courtesy: Straight Bat.)

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