Name:

Kirmani, Syed Mujtaba Hussain

Nickname:

Kojak

Date of Birth:

29 Dec 1949

Gender:

Men

Place of Birth:

Madras, (Now Chennai), India

Career:

Test: 1976 - 1986
ODI: 1976 - 1986
First Class: 1967 - 1993

Teams:

India (Country)

2011 vs 1983: Srikkanth and Kirmani compare world cup wins

Syed Kirmani: Was he India's finest wicketkeeper?

Syed Kirmani was born on December 29, 1949 in Madras (now Chennai).

He was a fine wicketkeeeper who kept to both spin from India's famed spin quartet and pace from Kapil Dev with equal skill. He was also a competent lower order batsman who scored 2 Test centuries.

Kirmani made his Test debut in 1976 against New Zealand in the 1st Test at Eden Park, after a few years as understudy to Farouk Engineer.

Against England in 1981-82, he did not concede a single bye in three consecutive Tests.

Kirmani's brilliance behind the stumps tends to camouflage his skill with the bat in front of them. He was a fighter, generally coming good when the side needed runs badly and was good enough to get two hundreds, the first as night watchman against Australia in 1979 and the second, five years later, against England when he shared a record seventh wicket partnership of 235 runs with Ravi Shastri.

Named the best keeper in the 1983 World Cup, it was Kirmani, who shared an unbeaten 126 runs partnership with Kapil Dev against Zimbabwe as the Indian captain went on to register one of India's greatest wins at Tunbridge Wells. He played a crucial role in the upset win over the Windies in the final by scoring crucial runs and with effective glove work.

In the 6th Test against the Windies at Chennai in 1983, Kirmani scored 63 not out and provided solid support to Sunil Gavaskar (236 not out) in an unbroken 143-run stand for the ninth wicket.

Kirmani last played for India on the 1985/86 tour of Australia.

His keeping to spinners, and in particular to BS Chandrasekhar's fast leg breaks was noteworthy. On the 1976 Test series in the West Indies, Viv Richards was deceived by a Chandra delivery. He turned back and told Kirmani ''that was as fast as Thommo, maan'' which of course also reflects on the skills of Kirmani.

After retirement, Kirmani was the vice-president of KSCA and also the chairman of the national selection committee.

In 2015, Kirmani revealed the discrimination he faced at the hands of fellow cricketers in his playing days. "I have been a victim of ego. It has happened with me. The players who played with me became selectors. I was in domestic arena from 1986 to 1993 and I gave stellar performances. I wasn't found wanting in fitness nor I was surrounded by any controversy, and yet I wasn't picked" fumed Kirmani.

Source: CricketCrowd Staff Reporter