“Best wishes to the lion-hearted Rangachari” read the words on a timeless photograph where Commandur Rajagopalachari Rangachari is seen with the legendary Don Bradman.
And what Sir Don, praise from him had to be earned, wrote on the picture bearing his signature encapsulated the spirit of Rangachari. Lion hearted, the pace bowling icon from Madras certainly was. He was skilful too.
Rangachari’s birth centenary celebrations have begun this year and his son C.R. Vijayaraghavan has planned a series of events to mark the occasion. Already, an age-group tournament has been conducted in his memory.
Nippy pacemanThose who watched Rangachari in action remembered him as a paceman with a slightly round-arm action who could extract nip off the pitch. He sent down late away swingers and proved a handful to left-handers with his accurate off-cutters. And the untiring Rangachari could bowl long spells.
Significantly, he was an inspiration for a generation of pacemen from the State. An upright police officer, ‘Ranga’ was a capable hockey player as well.
Rangachari made a distinct impression on the tour of Australia in 1947-48 against a formidable Australian team led by Bradman. He scalped four on his Test debut in Adelaide. Among his victims were the great Neil Harvey and Keith Miller.
In fact, Harvey remembered Rangachari when he came down to Chennai in March 1998 to inaugurate a pavilion named after him at the IIT-Chemplast ground.
“Where’s Ranga,” he enquired and then called for Vijayaraghavan.
When Harvey was informed that Rangachari had passed away in 1993, the Australian went silent for a few moments before offering his condolences to Vijayaraghavan.
A former international umpire, TNCA secretary and Indian team manager, Vijayaraghavan recalled some interesting cricketing tales that his father had told him. “He said he had beaten Bradman thrice in succession during the Adelaide Test. So much so that the famous Jack Fingleton wrote, ‘The ball took the stump’s varnish but the bails did not fall.’”
That was a tour where Rangachari achieved a hat-trick in the game against Tasmania.
Then in a striking performance, Rangachari claimed five wickets in an innings against the West Indies in the Delhi Test of 1948.
Among his victims were Allan Rae, Jeffry Stollmeyer and ‘Black Bradman’ George Headley. The strong West Indies line-up was reduced to 27 for three.
Those were days when Tests were few and far between — World War II ate into cricketers’ careers — and Rangachari figured just four Tests picking up nine wickets in all. Numbers will never tell you about the impact he made then.
Vijayaraghavan said, “He would often talk about his Indian teammates. He used to say even a needle could not pass between Vijay Merchant’s bat and pad. Father shared a healthy rapport with his new ball partner Dattu Phadkar. He was astounded by Vijay Hazare’s skill.”
First class careerIn a first class career that stretched from 1938 to 1954, Rangachari dismissed 199 batsmen at 26.11 from 62 matches. This included 14 five-wicket hauls.
The slip catching then, though, was below par. Once, Maharaja of Vizianagaram, not exactly known for his cricketing skills, put down a sitter in the slip cordon, Rangachari being the bowler. Over to Vijayaraghavan: “My father said the Maharaja told him, ‘I am too tall to bend for this one dear.’ Rangachari replied, ‘Your Highness, it is all in the game.”
Rangachari’s other passion was his job as a police officer and he retired as the Deputy Superintendent of Police. “He would never bend before anyone, never accepted favours, and always spoke his mind,” said Vijayaraghavan.
Indeed, Rangachari was a proud man who walked down the straight path.
