Indian cricket’s finest left-arm spin bowler Padmakar Shivalkar, who never played international cricket for India, died in Mumbai at the age of 84. His death sent a wave of mourning in the cricket world. He has left behind his wife, son and daughter.
Brilliant but overlooked talent
Padmakar Shivalkar’s name is often taken along with Rajinder Goel, who was considered one of the most successful bowlers of Ranji Trophy. The misfortune of both of them was that their career took place at a time when India’s legendary left-arm spinner Bishan Singh Bedi was part of the team.
Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar said in 2017, when the BCCI honoured Shivalkar and Goel with the CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award:
“I regret that while I was the captain of the Indian team, I failed to convince the selectors that Goel sahab and Shivalkar should have been included in the team. If they were not in the era of Bedi sahab, they would have played many Tests for India.”
Mumbai’s strong pillar in Ranji Trophy
Shivalkar played a key role in the golden era of Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy team. Between 1965-66 and 1976-77, Mumbai won 10 Ranji Trophy titles, and Shivalkar was part of the team in all of them. He was also part of the winning team in 1980-81.
The amazing thing was that at the age of 47, in 1987-88, he again played Ranji cricket and played two matches for Mumbai.
Great performance in first-class cricket
Shivlakar started his first-class cricket career in April 1962. He played for the Cricket Club of India President’s XI against an international XI. The team included veterans like Bob Simpson, Tom Graveney, Colin Cowdrey, Everton Weeks, Richie Benaud and Sony Ramadhin. In this match, he recorded figures of 5/129 and 2/44.
In his 124 first-class matches, he took 589 wickets, of which 361 wickets came in the Ranji Trophy. This is the most wickets taken by any bowler from the Mumbai team. His best performance was 8/16, which he did against Tamil Nadu in the 1972-73 Ranji Trophy final. In this match, Mumbai won in just two days and one ball.
Tributes from the cricket fraternity
BCCI president and former India pacer Roger Binny said on his demise:
“Indian cricket has today lost a legend. Padmakar Shivalkar’s left-arm spin and keen understanding of the game made him a colossus in domestic cricket. His contribution to Mumbai cricket will remain unforgettable. I offer my condolences to his family and loved ones.”
The strengths of his bowling style
V Ramanarayan, a spin specialist of the 1970s who saw both Shivalkar and Goel closely, wrote:
“Their greatest strength was their reliability. Captains had complete faith in them. Their bowling styles were almost identical, but Shivalkar’s flight and variation made him more lethal on good pitches, while Goel was more effective on slow and turning pitches.”
Shivalkar’s favourite dismissal was by stumping. In an interview in 2017, he said:
“I loved stumping a batsman out. My flight was so effective that the batsman would leave the crease and come forward and I would trick him and get him stumped out.”
Conclusion
Padmakar Shivalkar was one of those unfortunate greats of Indian cricket who did not get the opportunity to showcase his talent at the international level. But he inscribed his name in golden letters in domestic cricket. His achievements, hard work and dedication towards cricket will always be remembered.