SALIM DURRANI WAS A REGULAR VISITOR AT PRESS CLUB A DECADE AGO, FOND OF PLAYING CARROM AND DRINKS !

ABOVE PIC : AUTHOR NEGI WITH SALIM DURRANI

Eminent cricketer, an all rounder and a monstrous hitter of sixes on demand by his fans and spectators, a cricketing star of sixties and seventies having enthusiastically played 29 tests for India from 1960 to 1973 scoring more than 12 hundred runs with one century against West Indies in 1962 and scoring seven fifties SALIM DURRANI left for his heavenly abode on Sunday at the age of 88, in Jamnagar Gujarat, leaving behind a huge vacuum in cricket fraternity and an end of an era too.

A very popular name in cricket, and catchy too SALIM DURRANI was a real star of Indian cricket popular globally with his special knack to hit sixes on the demand of his fans popularly known as a SIXER MAN.

Born in Kabul Afghanistan in running train in 1944 in a Pathan family, handsome, tall with attractive features having also acted in a lead role against famous Bollywood actress Praveen Babi after bidding good bye to cricket in film CHARITRA in the year 1974, DURRANI had also come into controversy for having a affair with the actress.

A slow left hand arm orthodox, sixer man and an all rounder SALIM DURRANI ‘s debut was on 1 st December, 1960 against Australia and the last test being on 6 th February 1973 against England.

Known as the hero of India series victory against England in 1961-62 having claimed 8 to 10 wickets in India’s victory at Calcutta and Chennai, the celebrated star of Indian cricket for more than a decade, till 1973 SALIM DURRANI bought laurels for the country by ensuring India’s maiden triumph against West Indies in Port of Spain taking the important wickets of West Indian n global leading cricketers CLIVE LLOYD AND GARRY SOBERS.

Despite so much of appreciation for the cricket star DURRANI what is unique here is that in his entire career of 50 innings test he could only score a single century with 104 runs against West Indies in 1962.

DURRANI is known highly for his outstanding 1400 runs in his exceptional first class performance.

Always having direct connection with his spectators on ground DURRANI was known for his monstrously hitting of sixes on their demand, indeed a rare feature any cricketer ever had.

He was so loved and liked by his fans that in 1973 when Durrani was dropped from the team in Kanpur test the crowds got agitated bring play cards in the field with slogans like : NO DURRANI, NO TEST.

According to senior journalist Vivek Shukla a friend of veteran cricketer SALIM DURRANI , he used to come to Karnail Singh Stadium, Delhi to play Ranji Trophy when leading n star cricket players like Hanumant Singh, earlier in St Stephen’s College, Lakshman Singh and Kailash Gattani used to be in that team.

SALIM DURRANI was so popular as cricketer then that these players were no comparison to him then.

Even iconic cricketer Lala Amarnath used to come to the stadium to watch DURRANI playing writes Vivek Shukla.

From 2005 to 2007 he used to regularly visit Press Club of India, Delhi and have drinks. He was fond of playing Carrom Board and used to defeat his opponents.

Before Covid times I also met him in Press Club of India. Though I didn’t noticed him initially but one of my friends said that he is renowned cricketer SALIM DURRANI.

Feeling ecstatic to meet such a leading n veteran cricketer about whom I’d heard so much while was young , I met him and was indeed thrilled.

SALIM DURRANI was a friend of friend, affable and down to earth in nature. He used to train the budding cricketers in Rajastan n Gujarat.

According to Vivek Shukla’s write up DURRANI got Rs. 18000 as fee for acting in CHARITY against Parveen Bobby in 1973 which was a good amount those days. But large hearted DURRANI bought gifts for the actress with this amount disclosed the veteran cricketer in Press Club in one of his visits while talking to friends.