Sanjay Manjrekar

Grand-nephew of Indian Test wicketkeeper Datturam Hindlekar and son of Test batsman Vijay Manjrekar, Sanjay Manjrekar shot to national prominence with six successive hundreds in the inter-university Rohinton Baria tournament in 1984-85. The man born with cricket in his blood was 'blooded' into Test cricket three years later, literally and figuratively. In the second innings of his debut game, against the West Indies at Delhi, a Winston Benjamin bouncer hit him on the lip and ruled him out of the match. It was a tremendous setback, coming as it did in his very first Test, and cricket watchers in India feared the worst. But the 22 year-old displayed a steely temperament by playing superbly in domestic cricket and winning a place in the Indian team touring the Caribbean in March-May 1989.

On one of the most disastrous tours ever undertaken by an Indian cricket team, Manjrekar shone like a beacon with a magnificent hundred against the Caribbean pace battery on one of the world's fastest pitches at Bridgetown. On India's subsequent tour, of Pakistan in 1989-90, Manjrekar spearheaded India's batting challenge against the might of Imran, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Abdul Qadir. He scored 569 runs from four Test matches, helping his side to draw a Test series many had predicted they would lose 0-4.

Manjrekar's commanding performances from 1989 to 1991 prompted the likes of Imran and Waqar Younis to rate him as one of the best batsmen in the world. A master technician, Manjrekar was equally at home in the one-day variety. His 105 from 82 balls against South Africa at Delhi in 1991-92, and 47 from 42 balls against Australia in the 1992 World Cup are remembered to this day.

He played 37 Tests from which he scored 2043 runs, inclusive of four hundreds, at an average of 37.14. He scored 1994 runs from 47 one-dayers at an average of 33. At the first-class level, he led the Rest of India to victory in the Irani Trophy in 1993-94 and Mumbai to victory in the 1996-97 edition of the Ranji Trophy.

Manjrekar retired from first-class cricket one year later, after the three-day game between the Ranji champions Mumbai and the touring Australians.

Today, he is a popular cricket commentator and cricket writer.