Mohammed Azharuddin

There were controversies, the match-fixing allegations, a notorious divorce and then the life ban. Keeping all these apart, anyone who has seen him bat and on the cricket ground will find it extremely hard to forget him. A master of wristy strokeplay and an astute leader, Mohammed Azharuddin was a bank clerk from Hyderabad who entranced the nation with his exploits on the field.

Fairytale Debut

SA skipper Kepler Wessels and Azharuddin during the '92 series. © Getty Images

He announced his arrival in pompous fashion against England in 1984-85 with three tons in his first three Tests, a feat that has still not been matched. The leg-side was Azhar’s domain and he casually flicked the red cherry at will and utmost ease. He fared the best against spinners and his grace and fluidity was a treat to watch.

Mohammed Azharuddin captained the Indian team for most of the nineties and proved to be one of the most successful ones to have done so. His captaincy records prove that he was one of the best skippers to have taken over the reigns of the team. He won a record 103 ODI matches as captain for the Indian team. His 14 Test match wins as captain was also a record until Sourav Ganguly bettered it. Consequently he was arguably one of the best captains of his era.


A champion captain

If his records as captain, batsman and fielder are anything to reckon with, Azhar was an asset for the team. He scored a total of 22 centuries in Test cricket in the 99 Test matches he played in. These came at a terrific average of 45. While in the 334 ODIs that he featured in, Azhar had scored 7 centuries and has 58 half-centuries as well. An excellent fielder, he took a world record 156 catches in ODI cricket. He was given LBW out on a personal score of 199 in a Test match against Sri Lanka and that remained his highest Test Score. Azhar was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1991 and was for many years an inspiring figure in the Indian team with his agile fielding and guidance.

The beginning of the end

Azhar during the 1999 World Cup  © Getty Images

On the personal front, he was considered one of the rudest cricketers. Although, ironically he was admired by other teams because he was a thorough gentleman on the field. His infamous tussle with photographers and his divorce with his first wife had him in the news for all the wrong reasons. Many felt he let his actress Sangeeta Bijlani, his second wife run his life and that brought about his downfall.

The abrupt end to Azhar’s magnificent career was courtesy his alleged relations with bookmakers. The BCCI slapped a life ban on him and his fall from grace became imminent. Paradoxically, he had just played his 99th Test when the ban came about and had also scored a century in the same. He was just a match away from cricketing divinity when he threw it all away and he alone was responsible for all his greatness and his downfall.