“Wrist Assured”, the magical journey of Gundappa Vishwanath

The former India skipper provides a view of what made him tick and why he is one of the most adored and respected cricketers to have graced world cricket

Hyderabad: For die-hard fans of Gundappa Vishwanath, his autobiography titled Wrist Assured, co-authored by seasoned journalist R Kaushik, is an ideal book that brings back wonderful memories of the Little Master. Wrist Assured provides a view of what made him tick and why he is one of the most adored and respected cricketers to have graced world cricket.

Short in stature, Vishy towered over the cricketing landscape for a couple of decades. Universally loved, he danced to 14 hundreds in 91 Tests. Remarkably, India never lost a Test match when he made a Test century.

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Born in Bhadravathi and raised in the dusty by-lanes of Bangalore, as the city was called back then, the frail-looking Vishwanath, discloses how his wrists were weak and some of his shots could not reach the boundary at the start of his career. But the late Tiger Pataudi, whom he fondly refers to as ‘Skip’, gave him advice after watching the young batsman in a few matches.

Vishy, as he is popularly known, was not enthusiastic about gym work. Sensing the youngster’s dilemma, Pataudi suggested that he lift two buckets of water daily 10 times. “Tiger said he enjoyed watching me bat, adding that I needed to get stronger. ‘Do you work out in the Gym?’ Gym? Me? No way! ‘I don’t.’ I mumbled, softly.”

Then Pataudi said: ‘Okay, so you don’t lift weights, or work with dumb-wells. Never mind I’m sure you must have buckets at home?…. This is what you do. Fill two buckets with water and lift one with each hand 20 times. Do this three to four times a day, regularly.”

Initially, thinking it was a prank played by Tiger, he ignored the suggestion before realising that the Indian skipper was serious. “He was actually offering a solution to a problem which could have hampered any progress to the next level. Grateful for his advice, I diligently followed the routine that he had suggested.

“I could make out a visible difference within a month, which was enough motivation to keep at it. In no time, the ball was speeding off the bat even against the slowest of slow bowlers. My wrists had become stronger but not stiffer. I am not sure what might have happened had Tiger not taken the trouble of talking to me…,” reveals Vishy in this nice book.

By the time he was finished with playing cricket, the genius was known around the world for his delectable square cuts and flicks.

In fact, a 18-year-old Vishwanath began his first-class career with a bang when he slammed a record 230 on debut against Andhra in Vijayawada. The ‘transported’ him to another world. He gives Pataudi credit for his debut in Tests against Australia in Kanpur in 1969. “…. He literally put his foot down and made sure I played in Kanpur.” Vishy was out for a duck in the first innings but struck 137 in second. The rest is history, the Little Master mesmerized the world with unfettered stroke play.

Incidentally, his first appearance in the Moin-ud-Dowla Gold Cup tournament was in 1968 when he was invited by PR Man Singh to play for Hyderabad Blues. He has a strong connection with Hyderabad, his highest regard to late ML Jaisimha. He even says he would have loved batting alongside in Test cricket with Mohammed Azharuddin. The wristy genius feels that VVS Laxman, who brought him great joy with his stroke play.

Surely, the fans would cherish reading this book as Vishwanath takes us down the memory lane and the sheer joy that he provided with his magical touch.

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