5 eventful comeback attempts in cricket

Utpal Chatterjee

Sourav Ganguly and Utpal Chatterjee came to Bengal’s rescue in the hour of need

One of the most touching episodes from recent years of Indian domestic cricket is from the 2004 Ranji Trophy season, when an India captain and a retired bowler both answered their state team’s call, successfuly fighting off relegation in the last group match of the season.

It had been just four days since India captain Sourav Ganguly had returned from a tour of Bangladesh. It had been one whole season since the 40-year-old Utpal Chatterjee had hung up his boots, on a poignant mark of 499 FC wickets.

The situation called for all the resources Bengal could muster, however. They had been undisputed champions of the East Zone in previous years, but with the introduction of the Elite-Plate league structure with promotions and relegations, they found themselves looking down a barrell, locked in a loser-loses-all battle with Madhya Pradesh in the final group match.

Ganguly was on song with the ball, as three early blows reduced MP to 16/3. Naman Ojha and Abbas Ali consolidated the innings, taking the first innings score to 392. It was Ojha who was Utpal’s 500th FC victim, as Bengal’s most successful bowler ever reached a landmark very few bowlers have in India.

It was clear that an outright result was out of the picture, and that Bengal needed a first innings lead to stave off relegation for the season. Sourav Ganguly scored a patient century, with help from Devang Gandhi and Laxmi Ratan Shukla. However, with 95 runs still to get on the final day, Bengal’s tail was exposed, and it was Utpal Chatterjee who walked out to join Shukla in the middle.

The next ninety minutes were an excruciating phase, as Utpal grimly stood his ground and Shukla hit his shots at the other end. Bengal were all out for 397, five runs ahead of MP and safely in the Elite Division.

One final session of play was possible, in which Utpal took the only two wickets to fall, ending his career at 504 FC wickets and 400 Ranji wickets. This sensational win must have inspired Bengal teams to come, as they reached the final of the Ranji Trophy for the next two editions.