They were inseparables in the seventies, two Marredpalli lads, who wore identical clothes, went together everywhere, giggled at everything, and played brilliant, uninhibited cricket. Both were all rounders, the tall, wiry, gangling half of the pair, M Narasimha Rao, Bobji to everyone, bowled leg breaks at a fast pace a la Chandrasekhar, and batted in a tall, erect, impressive style, driving with authority and using his feet to the spinners, while the shorter, muscular P Jyotiprasad, bowled a sharp, accurate medium pace, giving the batsman no width and cramping him with his nagging, low-slung in cutters, and difficult to dislodge lower in the batting order, equally capable of stout defence and murderous attack, especially in a crisis.
Both were excellent fielders, could run fast, swoop down on the ball and throw hard, flat and accurate from anywhere, but were better known for their agility and dependability close to the wicket. Jyoti, or Joe, was in the Eknath Solkar class at forward short leg, capable of diving full length forward and scooping the catch millimeters from the ground in his cupped two-handed style, unique among bat-pad specialists. Bobji was even more spectacularly agile and flexible and could bring off unbelievable catches, but he was slightly less reliable, tending to be casual when not in the mood.
Bobji and Joe were popular with the cricket establishment and their peers and seniors alike. They were seen as two innocent teenagers of simple tastes, totally focused on cricket and madly in love with the game. Every captain loved to have them in his team, and soon they progressed from their school teams and Marredpalli club to age group and university cricket before they both graduated to Ranji Trophy cricket and a place in the newly formed Andhra Bank team that before long launched a giant killing spree, ousting State Bank of India and State Bank of Hyderabad from their lofty pedestals.
The pair straightaway began to make an impact on Hyderabad’s fortunes in the national championship, Jyoti with the ball and Bob with the bat. It was not long before one grabbed his first five-wicket haul and the other scored his first hundred. Captain Jaisimha and his senior colleagues Abbas Ali Baig, Mansur Ali Khan, Abid Ali & Co. grew fond of the young rascals, as they were often referred to, thanks to their mischievous, leg-pulling ways off the field.
Idylls do not last forever, and the friendship entered troubled waters as the careers of the two started following slightly different paths. The tall, lanky Narasimha Rao was the more successful cricketer of the two, recognition coming his way more regularly than in the case of Jyotiprasad. He was made Hyderabad vice captain and when the skipper Abid Ali missed the knockout, travelling overseas, he led the side for the first time in the 1977-78 season. He batted and bowled well, and captained quite capably, though Hyderabad lost in the semifinal to less fancied UP on first innings lead.
Soon Bobji was selected to play for India and he made his debut against Alvin Kallicharran’s West Indies team touring India. Unfortunately, he did not receive too many opportunities and gradually faded away from the Test scene.
Bobji’s leadership was on trial from then on, but he held on successfully, negotiating challenges on and off the field with consummate skill, and eventually led Hyderabad to a title triumph, beating Delhi in the 1981-82 final. That was easily the high point of his career.
Joe’s career was not quite as successful. Dropped prematurely from the state side, he fought gallantly to make a spectacular comeback and enjoy a happy second innings for the state. He never rose much higher, his few appearances in the zonal competition, though quite impressive, failing to produce statistically significant performances. Opening the bowling on his Duleep Trophy debut, he dropped Sunil Gavaskar off the very first ball of the match, off his own bowling. The Little Master went on to make 228! Bobji and Joe were an unforgettable pair. Though their careers panned out differently, Bob marrying an Irish girl and settling down in Ireland, and Joe continuing to work for Andhra Bank at Hyderabad, they were an integral part of the Hyderabad team at its glamorous best, often playing match winning and match saving roles, and for that, they will always be remembered.
They were inseparables in the seventies, two Marredpalli lads, who wore identical clothes, went together everywhere, giggled at everything, and played brilliant, uninhibited cricket. Both were all rounders, the tall, wiry, gangling half of the pair, M Narasimha Rao, Bobji to everyone, bowled leg breaks at a fast pace a la Chandrasekhar, and batted in a tall, erect, impressive style, driving with authority and using his feet to the spinners, while the shorter, muscular P Jyotiprasad, bowled a sharp, accurate medium pace, giving the batsman no width and cramping him with his nagging, low-slung in cutters, and difficult to dislodge lower in the batting order, equally capable of stout defence and murderous attack, especially in a crisis.
Bobji and Joe were popular with the cricket establishment and their peers and seniors alike. They were seen as two innocent teenagers of simple tastes, totally focused on cricket and madly in love with the game. Every captain loved to have them in his team, and soon they progressed from their school teams and Marredpalli club to age group and university cricket before they both graduated to Ranji Trophy cricket and a place in the newly formed Andhra Bank team that before long launched a giant killing spree, ousting State Bank of India and State Bank of Hyderabad from their lofty pedestals.
Idylls do not last forever, and the friendship entered troubled waters as the careers of the two started following slightly different paths. The tall, lanky Narasimha Rao was the more successful cricketer of the two, recognition coming his way more regularly than in the case of Jyotiprasad. He was made Hyderabad vice captain and when the skipper Abid Ali missed the knockout, travelling overseas, he led the side for the first time in the 1977-78 season. He batted and bowled well, and captained quite capably, though Hyderabad lost in the semifinal to less fancied UP on first innings lead.
Joe’s career was not quite as successful. Dropped prematurely from the state side, he fought gallantly to make a spectacular comeback and enjoy a happy second innings for the state. He never rose much higher, his few appearances in the zonal competition, though quite impressive, failing to produce statistically significant performances. Opening the bowling on his Duleep Trophy debut, he dropped Sunil Gavaskar off the very first ball of the match, off his own bowling. The Little Master went on to make 228! Bobji and Joe were an unforgettable pair. Though their careers panned out differently, Bob marrying an Irish girl and settling down in Ireland, and Joe continuing to work for Andhra Bank at Hyderabad, they were an integral part of the Hyderabad team at its glamorous best, often playing match winning and match saving roles, and for that, they will always be remembered.
