India plays Bangladesh in the Asia Cup final on Sunday, but old-timers will remember the dates March 6 to March 10 with much fondness. Forty-five years ago, in 1971, India played West Indies in a famous Test match at Port of Spain, Trinidad where a certain Sunil Manohar Gavaskar made his debut.
India had never won against the West Indies on 24 occasions previously, but they made history in Trinidad. Buoyed by a fine performance from their spin trio of Bishen Singh Bedi, Erapalli Prasanna and Srinivas Venkataraghavan, India defeated a strong West Indies side to record their first ever win against the Caribbean giants.
Gavaskar scored 65 and 67 not out on debut and would go on to have a fantastic series. All the other Test matches were drawn, giving India a 1-0 win in the series, a result few expected. In honour of India's famous victory and Gavaskar's incredible performance in that series (774 runs at an average of 154.80), Lord Relator composed a Calyso immortalising India's conquest of the Caribbean.
Forty-five years later, the lilting rhythm remains as fresh as ever, sweeping listeners away to a beach in Trinidad where life moves at a much more laid back pace.
A lovely day for cricket
Blue skies and gentle breeze
The Indians are awaiting now
To play the West Indies
A signal from the umpire
The match is going to start
The cricketers come on the field
They all look very smart ...Erapalli Prasanna
Jeejeebhoy and Wadekar
Krishnamurthy and Vishnoo (sic) Mankad
Them boys could real play cricket
On any kinda wicket
They make the West Indies team look so bad
We was in all kinda trouble
Joey Carew pull a muscle
Clive Lloyd get 'bout three run out
We was in trouble without a doubtIt was Gavaskar
De real master
Just like a wall
We couldn't out Gavaskar at all, not at all
You know the West Indies couldn't out Gavaskar at allVen-kat-a-ra-ghavan
Bedi, in a turban
Vijay Jaisimha, Jayantilal
They help to win the series
Against the West Indies
At Sabina Park and Queen's Park Oval
A hundred and fifty-eight by Kanhai
Really sent our hopes up high
Noriega nine for ninety-five
The Indian team they still surviveIt was Gavaskar
De real master
Just like a wall
We couldn't out Gavaskar at all, not at all
You know the West Indies couldn't out Gavaskar at allGovindraj and Durani
Solkar, Abid Ali
Dilip Sardesai and Viswanath
They make West Indies bowlers
Look like second raters
When those fellas came out here to bat
West Indies tried Holder and Keith Boyce
They had no other choice
They even try with Uton Dowe
But ah sure that they sorry they bring him nowIt was Gavaskar
De real master
Just like a wall
We couldn't out Gavaskar at all, not at all
You know the West Indies couldn't out Gavaskar at allLittle Desmond Lewis
Also Charlie Davis
Dey take a little shame from out we face
But Sobers as the captain
He want plenty coachin'
Before we cricket end up in a disgrace
Bedi hear that he became a father
So he catch out Holford in the covers
But when Sobers hear he too had a son
He make duck and went back in the pavilionIt was Gavaskar
De real master
Just like a wall
We couldn't out Gavaskar at all, not at all
You know the West Indies couldn't out Gavaskar at all
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