Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Former India opener Madhav Apte dies at 86

Written by 
Published in Cricket
Sunday, 22 September 2019 23:45

Madhav Apte, the former India Test opener, died in Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital on Monday, aged 86. When alive, he was the fourth-oldest living Indian Test cricketer.

In his seven Tests for India in 1952-53, Apte averaged 49.27, the highlight being a match-saving, unbeaten 163 against West Indies in Port of Spain. Five of his seven Tests were played on that tour of the Caribbean, where it seemed he was the next big thing in Indian cricket, averaging over 50 and finishing second on the runs charts for India.

But he never played for India again.

Shishir Hattangadi, the prolific Mumbai run-getter from the 1980s and early 1990s, confirmed the news of Apte's death and paid tribute to his senior.

"I hadn't met him for a couple of months, he hadn't been keeping well," Hattangadi told ESPNcricinfo. "There were age-related complications. I was told that he suffered a cardiac arrest this morning. The memories are of a lovely human being, he embraced sports romantics, a lovely man to spend time with.

"He would tell you stories of people and events you have only heard of. But he rarely spoke about his own career. Very dignified, he didn't want to talk about it. He was a senior that you respected, someone you could spend a lot of time with. A very simple man. A great loss, but he lived his life well."

In all, Apte's first-class career ran 17 years, from 1951-52 to 1967-68. He scored a first-class ton on debut for Mumbai in 1952, and promptly went on to make his Test debut as a 20-year-old during Pakistan's tour of India later that year. Next up was the tour of the Caribbean.

ALSO READ: In conversation with Madhav Apte

Against a West Indies attack that included Sonny Ramadhin, Alf Valentine and Frank King, Apte struck 64 and 52 in the first Test, 64 again in the second, and followed that up with that unbeaten second-innings 163 in the third Test to secure a draw for India and average 51.11 for the series.

Following the tour of the West Indies, India had no Tests scheduled in 1954. He was part of the Silver Jubilee Commonwealth XI match in 1954, playing for India against West Indies to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the BCCI. But he wasn't at his best by the time India's next Test assignment came about, and was overlooked.

Apte, whose younger brother Arvind also played a Test in 1959, had begun his career as a legbreak bowler before intervention from the great Vinoo Mankad - his coach at college - turned him into an opening batsman. Apte later confessed that he learnt the art of batting by observing Vijay Merchant bat in the nets every morning in Mumbai. It was Merchant's subsequent injury in 1952 that handed Apte a first-class debut for Mumbai.

After his first-class retirement, Apte moved to Malaysia on work but continued to turn out in the Kanga League in Mumbai, representing the club side Jolly Cricketers. He played over 50 seasons of the Kanga League, last featuring in a game at the age of 70. Between 1948 and 2002, Apte made more than 5000 runs in the Kanga League.

In 1989, Apte became the president of Cricket Club of India in Mumbai, one of the oldest clubs for the sport in the country. He was also instrumental in bringing a 14-year-old Sachin Tendulkar into the CCI side. Recalling what he thought of Tendulkar's talent back then, Apte once said: "One sees a hell of a lot of talent at the age of 14, 16, and so on. Not all of that talent really matures because the future, no one can predict. [But] at that time, my comment in the dressing room was, 'If this boy keeps his head on his shoulders, he will play for India sooner than later.' But even the lord almighty could not have seen that he would go on to get hundred hundreds and so on."

Read 412 times

Soccer

Pride open season with 6-0 rout; Rodman returns

Pride open season with 6-0 rout; Rodman returns

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe reigning champion Orlando Pride opened the National Women's Soc...

Liverpool capt Van Dijk eyes place among greats

Liverpool capt Van Dijk eyes place among greats

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsLiverpool's Virgil van Dijk has said winning a second Carabao Cup t...

Neymar ruled out of Brazil return, Endrick in

Neymar ruled out of Brazil return, Endrick in

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNeymar's return to action for Brazil will be delayed yet longer aft...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Bulls banners 'Disturbed' during show; need fixes

Bulls banners 'Disturbed' during show; need fixes

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsAll six of the Chicago Bulls' championship banners were pulled from...

Doncic (calf) sits out Lakers' loss to Nuggets

Doncic (calf) sits out Lakers' loss to Nuggets

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsDENVER -- Luka Doncic did not play in the conclusion of the Los Ang...

Baseball

MLB award winners' gold logos to become cards

MLB award winners' gold logos to become cards

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsExpanding on the success of the MLB Debut Patch, Topps, MLB and Nik...

Dodgers' Betts to miss Japan games with illness

Dodgers' Betts to miss Japan games with illness

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsTOKYO -- Shortstop Mookie Betts will miss the Los Angeles Dodgers'...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated