An open letter to Javed Miandad
Vinay Kamat



Dear Javed,

I have been heartbroken with Pakistan's performance against India. How did Pakistan crumble without a fight? How can a team of stalwarts play like novices? I am sure you'll agree with me that this ain't Inzy's defeat; it's yours. You just failed to read Dravid's Eleven.

But why do I blame you? To me, sub-continental cricket has been embodied by just one man: Mohammad Javed Miandad Khan. From his repertoire of class and improvisation, to his doggedness, to his thirst for victory, Javed has no equal. Most cricket-lovers may not agree with me, since the sub-continent has quite an array of legends: Gavaskar, Tendulkar, Zaheer, Imran, Aravinda.

But you were unique. You were at ease with pace and spin; you could attack and defend at will. And, as they all said, you were street-savvy. After all, you sharpened your skills in Karachi's alleys before taking on the big boys of cricket. While Zaheer Abbas entertained me with his cover- and square-drives, you dazzled me with your ability to read the bowler much before the ball had been launched. Much has been said about Viv Richards' batting prowess. But Viv played by instinct. You never played; you outthought bowlers.

At one point in time, in the late 1970s, you were rated as the first among batting equals. Equals that comprised Viv Richards, Greg Chappell, and Sunil Gavaskar. And if you had focused on stats, you might have created a better numerical persona. A Test average of 52.5, with 23 hundreds, does no justice to an outstanding cricketing mind. Neither does an ODI average of 41.7, with 8 hundreds.

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