THE ORIGINAL WALL
GQ India|March 2020
Before Rahul Dravid came along, Dilip Vengsarkar was the bulwark around which the rest of the Indian team batted in the 1970s and 1980s.
ANIL THAKRANEY
THE ORIGINAL WALL

True to his nickname “Colonel”, he would stand resolute at the crease, quietly amassing runs at the No 3 or No 4 positions in his no-nonsense, methodical style.

Best known for his flowing drive, Vengsarkar’s dependability allowed the more celebrated players like Gundappa Viswanath, Mohinder Amarnath and Kapil Dev to freely play their strokes. He played 116 Test matches and scored nearly 7,000 runs with 17 centuries, six of which came against the lethal fast bowling attack of the West Indies team.

Then there’s his love affair with the Lord’s cricket ground, where he scored three consecutive Test centuries – a feat no visiting player to England has achieved, not even Sir Don Bradman. An unfortunate injury during the early stages of the 1983 World Cup ruled him out of the rest of the tournament. Sipping coffee on the verandah overlooking the Mumbai Cricket Association’s maidan in Bandra- Kurla Complex, keeping a sharp eye on young cricketers honing their skills, Vengsarkar shares rare memories from that World Cup, and speaks passionately about his cricket academies and the upcoming Hindi film ’83, scheduled for release in April this year.

Are you excited about ’83? Your character is a part of the film.

Yes. Adinath Kothare [the Marathi actor who plays the role of Vengsarkar] had come to see me a few times, he wanted to know about my injury, the expectations before the tournament and how we won.

Tell us about the injury.

During the league match at the Oval against the West Indies, we were chasing a score of 280 plus. I was playing really well, Mohinder Amarnath and I were building a partnership and we thought we could chase down the target. I tried to glide one ball from Malcolm

Esta historia es de la edición March 2020 de GQ India.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición March 2020 de GQ India.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE GQ INDIAVer todo
The 30 Best Watches Of 2024
GQ India

The 30 Best Watches Of 2024

Rounding up the best shapes, materials, complications and sizes from this year's horological novelty treasure chest.

time-read
10+ minutos  |
October - November 2024
Wes Lang's Heroes of Love...
GQ India

Wes Lang's Heroes of Love...

Last month, LA-based artist Wes Lang unveiled The Black Paintings, a monumental series of works that play like storyboards to a raucous midnight horror movieand a spiritual quest. Here, GQ collaborates with the artist on a fashion story that brings his stylish characters off the canvas.

time-read
8 minutos  |
October - November 2024
The Miraculous Resurrection of Notre Dame
GQ India

The Miraculous Resurrection of Notre Dame

In 2019, a fire nearly destroyed the crown jewel of France-and the nation set a breakneck five-year deadline to bring it back from the ashes. This is the story of how an army of artisans turned back centuries to restore Notre-Dame by hand, and wound up reviving something even greater than the cathedral itself.

time-read
10+ minutos  |
October - November 2024
"IT'S NOT ABOUT BEING PERFECT. IT'S ABOUT BEING REVOLUTIONARY."
GQ India

"IT'S NOT ABOUT BEING PERFECT. IT'S ABOUT BEING REVOLUTIONARY."

Beyoncé Knowles-Carter talks business, legacy, art, and family

time-read
10+ minutos  |
October - November 2024
The Wedding Singers
GQ India

The Wedding Singers

Madboy Mink's dynamic duo, Saba Azad and Imaad Shah, redefine festive style.

time-read
5 minutos  |
October - November 2024
A Watch Is More Than Just a Pretty Face
GQ India

A Watch Is More Than Just a Pretty Face

As collectors look to make their grail watches stand out, they're turning to unique vintage bracelets and paying thousands on thousands for straps on the secondary market.

time-read
3 minutos  |
October - November 2024
The Fluidity of Cartier
GQ India

The Fluidity of Cartier

Why Gen Z stars are obsessed with this historic maison.

time-read
2 minutos  |
October - November 2024
A Princess with Passion
GQ India

A Princess with Passion

From restoring monuments to reviving hereditary crafts, Bhavnagar's Brijeshwari Kumari Gohil has her sights on the future.

time-read
6 minutos  |
October - November 2024
THE FUTURE SOUNDS LIKE AT EEZ
GQ India

THE FUTURE SOUNDS LIKE AT EEZ

The Coachella-slaying, multi-language-singing, genre-obliterating members of Ateez are quickly becoming load-bearing stars of our global pop universe.

time-read
10 minutos  |
August - September 2024
DEMNA UNMASKED
GQ India

DEMNA UNMASKED

He's the most influential designer of the past decade. He's also the most controversial. Now the creative director of Balenciaga is exploring a surprising source of inspiration: happiness. GQ's Samuel Hine witnesses the dawn of Demna's new era, in Paris, New York, and Shanghai. Photographs by Jason Nocito.

time-read
10+ minutos  |
August - September 2024