Cricket moments.... Subhash Gupte to Kanhai ‘Hello rabbit’."

[socafighter]

Kanhai hooks


The best spinner ever says Sobers

"Subhash Gupte was the greatest leg spinner I have played against, a man with enough mystic power to perform the Indian rope trick."

That was how Guyana’s and West Indies’ star batsman Rohan Kanhai described Gupte, though the two men "didn't exactly hit it off" in their first meeting during the West Indies tour of India in 1958-59.

Kanhai wrote: "In the first Test I presented him with his 100th Test wicket when he had me snapped by Roy for 22 in the second innings. In the next Test at Kanpur, he bowled me neck-and-crop for a duck, and as we came in for tea, he sauntered up to me and sneered, ‘Hello rabbit’."
"The jibe brought a giggle from the rest of the players in earshot but set my blood boiling.” Gupte obviously felt that by humiliating Kanhai in front of his peers, he'd destroy the confidence of the Guyanese batsman and gain the "whip hand" for the rest of the tour.

West Indies were dismissed for a modest 222. Kanhai made just 43 in his second knock in the second Test. But all that "rabbit" business changed in the third Test in Calcutta in December 1958.

Gupte got Kanhai all right, but not before the Guyanese master batsman had time to translate his glorious form into a personal tally of 256 runs - his highest in Test cricket and overtaking Frank Worrell's record Test score of 237 against India in Kingston.

Above whatever he'd achieved in Calcutta, mastering Gupte was Kanhai "real prize".

Remainder of Article posted at
http://talkyuhcricket.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=310

[socafighter]

My recollection of Subash Gupte

I saw him play for the Ste Madeleine Sugar Company side for a few seasons on a pitch made of
red sand and on matting on occasions . He had married a local south girl and lived in Trinidad until he died.

A gifted played that India cast aside , he never recovered and like most players delved in alcohol.
He was drunk often playing for the local team , a rare and gifted bowler , who was never given the chance to
reach his potential . History will always be poorer , he was denied to soon.

Thanks for the memories Gupper , his nick name in South Trinidad. RIP