CK Nayudu: The most important innings in the history of Indian cricket

The Hindus started the second day steadily. But the MCC bowlers broke their resistance – Geary dismissed Navel and at 67 for 2, a tall and handsome looking bloke walked towards the crease. His eyes were focused and his face beaming with confidence.

The name of the bloke was Cottari Kanakaiya Nayudu. The world of cricket knows him by the name C K Nayudu and his teammates used to call him Colonel. He was born in Nagpur in 1895. Nayudu played and captained for Hislop Collegiate High School, Nagpur and while still at school appeared for Modi, of which club he also became captain.

Nayudu was an allround cricketer. He could bat well, bowl his gentle medium-pacers with effectiveness and as a fielder he was quite brilliant. But he was more popular for his attacking batsmanship. Surprisingly, in his early days, Nayudu was a defensive batsman but in the course of time, Nayudu’s batting philosophy changed. Nayudu’s father had been highly influential in transforming him into a more aggressive batsman. Again, Nayudu’s sporting abilities were not only restricted to cricket, but he also shone in hockey and soccer as well.

On that eventful day at the Bombay Gymkhana, Nayudu came at the crease and immediately lofted the third ball, he faced from the left-arm spinner Stuart Boyes onto the roof of Gymkhana pavilion. By the time, Nayudu was getting accustomed to the situation, the Hindus had lost one more wicket and were in a bother with the score at 84 for 3. It was a drastic situation and demanded drastic measures.

India’s first Test team – L-R: Lall Singh, S Nazir Ali, Jehangir Khan, S Wazir Ali, SR Godambe, CK Nayudu (Captain), Amar Singh, J Naoomal, SHM Colah, PE Palia, JG Navle.

CK Nayudu unleashed an assault. LP Jai was playing as the sheet-anchor role as Nayudu continued to play his strokes in a carefree manner. Nayudu raced to a half-century quickly. That brisk half-century included four sixes.

During the lunch interval, the news about Nayudu’s onslaught spread across the city. People from all corners of Mumbai rushed towards the Bombay Gymkhana Maaidan. Play resumed after lunch and the scene at Bombay Gymkhana Maaidan was absolutely electrifying. People occupied the trees and rooftop to watch CK Nayudu’s fantastic batting display.

The match started after lunch and CK Nayudu proceeded from where he left. Nayudu’s bat was unstoppable – sixes and fours poured off the bat continuously. Each of Nayudu’s boundaries was met with loud cheering. In no time Nayudu had reached a hundred and then in the twinkle of an eye, he raced off to a hundred and fifty.

Two more powerful drives landed on the roof of the Bombay Gymkhana. A high profile English attack which included four Test bowlers was murdered in the most ruthless manner. Eventually, Nayudu was out – caught in the deep – for 153. He had batted for less than two hours and had hit 13 fours and 11 sixes.

During that epic knock, Nayudu’s footwork was quick and was never afraid to come dancing down the wicket and smash the bowlers for sixes. His ability to pick the length quickly was one of the greatest assets of his batsmanship. He could drive the ball – pitched on a good length – powerfully over the bowler’s head and while executing those attacking shots Nayudu’s balance had always remained superbly perfect.

Nayudu’s innings against the MCC tourists had been the most important phenomenon in the history of Indian cricket. As El Docker has written, “importance of the day lay in the emotional scene at the finish when outside the pavilion in the quickening dusk people began to gather in little craning their necks, straining every muscle to catch glimpse of their hero, touch him, garland him with flowers, press gifts into his hand. How he had raised them up! What glories he had shown them!”

CK Nayudu’s 153 was Indian cricket’s moments of arrival. It helped India to achieve Test status. MCC captain Arthur Gilligan had lobbied for India’s elevation to Test status, which also led to the formation of the Indian cricket board in 1928, and India’s first Test match in 1932. It was all possible due to CK Nayudu’s brutal, but majestic hundred at the Bombay Gymkhana.