We wanted some 15-20 runs extra to beat Pakistan within the remaining of the 1985 Benson & Hedges event. I had a take a look at square-leg to test the sector set by Javed Miandad, Pakistan’s captain. Javed perked up from midwicket.
“Tu baar baar udhar kya deke raha hai” (Why are you trying there repeatedly?) he mentioned in his attribute lisp. “Gaadi ko kyun dekh raha hai?!” (Why are you trying on the automobile). Voh nahi milne waali hai tere ko! (You usually are not going to get it!).”
That’s once I had one correct take a look at it, and advised him, “Javed, meri taraf hi aa Rahi hai! (It’s coming my way, only!)”.
So, in some methods, the enjoyable had began earlier than I obtained the keys. When I obtained the keys from Ian Chappell within the post-match ceremony, I heard a buzz behind him. I go searching and my teammates are already everywhere in the automobile. Sunny (Sunil Gavaskar) was within the passenger seat. Kapil was on the again. Others have been climbing. I advised Ian, ‘one minute, I will be back’.
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I went, sat inside, turned on the ignition, and noticed the petrol indicator counsel there was a little bit of petrol. Enough for a spin. And earlier than the organisers or anybody might react, I had began the automobile, and we have been off.
Jimmy (Amarnath) was on the bonnet. I keep in mind Sadanand Vishwanath was on the highest, and the legend was transferring from again to entrance along with his spike footwear apparently within the air however had created sufficient scratches. Crazy glad occasions.
As a recall issue, greater than most issues I’ve performed in my life, this automobile stands on the high. The six sixes had a recall worth however that is the largest in my profession. The circumstances aligned: The timing of one-day cricket, day-and-night matches coming in from Australia, Channel 9 coming into India for the primary time, 1983 was all whites, this was color clothes and that pristine telecast. And after all whenever you get Pakistan in a remaining, nobody can ever neglect it – when you win it.
The Audi might be endlessly remembered for that drive at MCG.
Years later, I keep in mind I used to be in Frankfurt in Germany on a vacation, having a pleasant pint of typical German beer. An enormous, tall Pathan walked throughout, clearly from North-Western frontier of Pakistan or Afghanistan. He recognised me and the very first thing he requested me was, “Oh Shastri Ji, voh Gaddi ki ki haal chaal!” (How is the automobile?). I mentioned ‘bikul teek-taak!” (It is fine). That’s the sort of attain it has.
As I tweeted, it’s simply not my automobile, it’s a nationwide asset and the Indian staff’s automobile as a result of that’s what it’s. It might be endlessly remembered for that drive at MCG. A contented staff, a world-cup successful staff, and now one other massive ODI event in Australia – individuals don’t neglect all that. That drive was in entrance of fifty,000 individuals, that point a file most likely for a non-Australia recreation. Those recollections keep etched in recollections of individuals, particularly of my technology and people who have been 7-10 years youthful than me.
Thousands on the docks
It got here a few months after the event, courtesy the delivery company of India. I nonetheless keep in mind that day, in some methods the spotlight for me with that automobile. At the docks, there have been 8,000-10,000 individuals to take a look at it because it got here out from the container of the ship. I refused to drive the automobile as I used to be cautious that I would bang into individuals as I nonetheless wasn’t absolutely hands-on with that Audi. I had somebody from Audi, a correct driver, to get it residence. All alongside the best way, individuals have been honking from bikes and it was fairly a celebration and I nonetheless don’t know the way it reached my residence with no scratch.
An Audi shipped by Shipping Corporation of India is dropped at the jetty after being awarded to ‘Champion of the Champions’ Ravi Shastri through the Benson and Hedges Cup – 1985. (Express Archive picture April 19, 1985)
Talking of scratches, that memorable drive on the MCG had left the automobile with a lot of scratches, dents, and champagne. And Audi have been type sufficient to ship a brand-new automobile.
Wherever I am going on this planet, if I want a automobile to drive, they supply me with one. I will need to have pushed the Audi probably the most in England. In that outdated Audi, I’ve gone to Alibag and to Shirdi (Sai Baba temple). Initially, my father additionally would sometimes take it out for drives to the races on Sundays along with his mates. He was a physician, a most selfless one, who until two days earlier than he died, was in his two clinics at Mahim and Dharavi. If you go to these locations, even when they don’t know me; they’ll know Dr. Shastri. He was my buddy, my hero, the person who taught me tips on how to reside life on my phrases.
He stopped taking that automobile out as he can be hounded at site visitors lights. There weren’t many four-rings Audi then, after which that quantity plate MFA 1, everybody knew it was mine. They would throng the automobile, considering I’d be there. So he stopped driving it.
Ravi Shastri’s automobile ‘Audi 100’.
As I sat within the newly restored automobile, all of the MCG recollections got here flooding again. Who was sitting the place, what we did, all the nice occasions. How the prime minister had then allowed me to get it duty-free; by the way solely after this it was legally allowed for any sportspeople to carry the automobile again to India duty-free in the event that they received it in a event.
The neatest thing about that is that my daughter noticed the automobile for the primary time ever in her life. She sat in it for the primary time. In the times to come back, I shall take her for a spin in it. In some sense, the circle of life can be full.
(Ravi Shastri is a former India Test cricketer, former coach and commentator. He spoke to Sriram Veera)
