The captains who shaped Indian cricket in the 1950s and 1960s scripted a tale of guts and glory on and off the field.

There was the stylish Ghulam Ahmed who chose to stay with India after Partition (while his nephew Asif Iqbal went on to captain Pakistan). There was the swashbuckling Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, who became the youngest Indian skipper at age 21. Despite losing an eye in a car accident, he played with a ferocity that earned him the nickname of Tiger.

And there was the unforgettable Vinoo Mankad. On the Australia tour of 1947-48, the legendary all-rounder opened the batting fearlessly against the fearsome pace duo of Ray Lindwall and Keith Miller. After scoring ducks, he knuckled down and took tips from his opponents. By the end of the tour, he had helped himself to a couple of centuries.

Despite their prowess on the field, even the best Indian players had to dance to the tune of the selectors.

Mankad’s blazing talent had attracted the attention of English County leagues, and he was invited to play professional cricket for much better pay. This didn’t go down well with the cricket administration in India, which paid its players a pittance. When the bosses gave him an ultimatum to choose, the feisty Mankad asked them to take a walk.

Discover more exciting vignettes as we trace the story of Indian cricket in the second episode of Well Caught with Giri and Raghu.

Credits:Akshay Ramuhalli, Bijoy Venugopal, Bruce Lee Mani, Narayan Krishnaswamy, Prashant Vasudevan, Seema Seth, Shraddha Gautam, Supriya Joshi, and Velu Shankar

Acknowledgements and resources

• YouTube | Jai Galagali channelWest Indies - India 1948 - 1st ever test series Brabourne Stadium Bombay
• India Pakistan 1st Test Match 1952
• 1952 India Pakistan Lucknow 2nd test
• 1950-51: Commonwealth Cricket Team arrives in Bombay
• Vinoo Mankad: interviews, clear footage, Golden voices of John Arlott’s and Pratap Sharma
• YouTube | Paul Sawtell: music from Desperate (1947)
• YouTube } 1950 HITS ARCHIVE: The Third Man Theme - Anton Karas (his original #1 version)
• YouTube | Broadcast Imaging channel | Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi || Old Rare Interview || Anmol Ratan Tv Serial (1990)
• YouTube | New Zealand vs India 1968 | India's First Away Series Win
• YouTube | Vintage cricket GOLD! Incredible interview with LEGENDS Keith Miller and Denis Compton, 1980.
• YouTube | ICC channel | Meet the ICC Hall of Famers: Vinoo Mankad | 'The finest Indian left-arm spinner ever'