This anecdote is a classic. Fed up of all those jibes about his rotund physique, especially in the mid-2000s when he was a regular in the Indian team, Ramesh Powar came up with a peach of a response: “I am fat, but fit.” It was enough to shut his critics up. But that’s just one part of the story.
Powar, who retired from first-class cricket on Friday, wasn’t your quintessential cricketer. That said, he was, perhaps, one of the very few who belonged to the rare category of classical off-spinners. Flight, loop, dip and spin were all part of his cricketing lexicon. Alas, his tribe is dying.
The good news, though, is that Powar wants to take up coaching full time. And he, of course, wants to have some fun in the Masters Champions League, a Twenty20 tournament for retired pros. “I am very much into coaching. In fact, I have been working as a personal coach for more than a year. I want to help spinners because I don’t see quality spinners around. I want to make (read nurture) somebody and make him play at the national level,” the 37-year-old said after the completion of the Ranji Trophy match between his home team (Mumbai) and adopted team (Gujarat) at his beloved Wankhede, “where it all began”.
“ Chalo, abhi se whites toh nahin pehenna padega (at least I don’t have to wear my whites),” he joked.
“Look, it’s been a thoroughly enjoyable journey. I am lucky to end my career where I started it. I want to thank everybody from (Ramakant) Achrekar Sir to Makarand Waingankar Sir to Vasu Paranjpe Sir. They guided me through tough times. At 19, I played one game for Mumbai. Then I had to decide whether to continue playing or find a job and get settled. But my seniors and coaches helped me a lot. I am what I am because of Vasu Sir. Achrekar Sir’s principles and values have taught me a lot of things,” added the jovial man who was accompanied by his wife, two kids, brother and mentor Kiran Powar, and sister Gita, who took over after their mother passed away when Powar was just 10.
Praising Ashwin
An interaction with Powar is incomplete without a query on off-spin. So why aren’t we witnessing the emergence of classical off-spinners anymore? “I think it’s because of limited-overs cricket. I became a classical off-spinner because I had the support of my coaches and seniors. They used to tell me, ‘we are going to back you’. You can’t just bowl flat and get maidens after maidens. Look at Ashwin. He has proven that you can play (and excel) across formats with flight. It’s a prime example,” Powar said.
MCA wants his expertise
The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) felicitated Powar. MCA vice-president and former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar said that the association “will surely use” Powar’s experience and expertise to spot and groom spinners for Mumbai. “He was a champion performer. There is no doubt we want his services.
“He has just retired. We will sit down and have a discussion with him soon,” Vengsarkar said.
