RAMCHAND, GULABRAI SIPAHIMALANI, died on September 8, 2003, aged
76. "Ram" Ramchand captained India to their first Test win over Australia, at
Kanpur in December 1959. Off-spinner Jasu Patel took 14 for 124 on a newly
laid pitch and Ramchand "led us brilliantly to victory", Chandu Borde recalled,
"always giving us the self-belief that we could beat them." Australia's captain,
Richie Benaud, went to the Indian dressing-room afterwards and presented his
counterpart with his Australian blazer. Born in Karachi, Ramchand played his first
Ranji Trophy cricket for Sind and moved south to Bombay after Partition, helping
them win six Ranji finals between 1948-49 and 1962-63. He hit hundreds in all
but the first, when he made two unbeaten half-centuries: few contemporary Indians
struck the ball harder. Add to that his robust fast-medium in-swing bowling and
efficient fielding and it is easy to appreciate why English league clubs targeted
him in the 1950s. He proved himself a useful utility player around the counties on India's 1952 tour but was less successful in the four Tests, spun out for a pair
on debut and capturing only four wickets in the series. Given the new ball at
Headingley and Lord's, he "looked every inch a fast bowler until he actually
bowled," as Sujit Mukherjee put it. He probably lacked sufficient variety for Test
cricket and only once managed a five-wicket return in his 33 Tests, getting six
for 49 at his native Karachi in 1954-55. His middle-order batting, on the other
hand, established him in the Test side and he made a sparkling 106 not out against
New Zealand in 1955-56 and a watchful 109 against Australia at Bombay a year
later. Hemu Adhikari was chosen ahead of him as India's fourth captain in the
confused 1958-59 series against West Indies, and Ramchand was overlooked for
the 1959 tour of England. Following that disaster, he was made captain against
Australia and retired from Tests after the series, returning to winning Ranji Trophies
for Bombay. In 1975, by now an executive at Air India, he was India's manager
at the first World Cup.