When Legends Rode the Rails: Untold Stories of Indian Cricket’s Humble Journeys

Relive fascinating stories from Indian cricket’s past—when Board of Control for Cricket in India teams traveled in unreserved trains, Sunil Gavaskar calmed midnight crowds, Ravi Shastri slept through his own introduction, and Bishan Singh Bedi rode in a luggage rack

Untold Stories of Indian Cricket’s Humble Journeys (Image Source: Google)

There was a time in Indian cricket when fame did not come with comfort—when even the biggest names traveled like ordinary passengers, often unnoticed, and sometimes, deliberately so. This is one such fascinating story from that era—when not just one player, but an entire team tried to hide its identity during a train journey.

This story is of the days when BCCI (and simultaneously most of State Cricket Associations) were not so rich and for BCCI tournaments, teams often used to travel by train (there were no luxury trains) that too sometimes in un-reserved compartments. During 1979-80 seasons Mumbai team travelled to Jamshedpur to play Bihar in Ranji Trophy quarter final, by train. At one of the stations in the mid-night around 3 AM, the train stopped. A crowd came in the coach and started removing blankets, shouting ‘kidhar hai, kidhar hai.’ They had the information that cricketers are travelling.

Dilip Vengasarkar (on one of the top births), got annoyed with the sleep disturbed and removal of the blanket. This started arguments and now the crowd started demanding his apology. They declared that the train shall not move until Dilip apologises. Captain Sunil Gavaskar sensed the worsening situation and politely asked the crowd to come out of the train and talk. They agreed. Believe it that Sunil Gavaskar alone was sitting with the crowd on the platform and talking friendly with them. This worked, and the crowd was happy that they talked to Sunil Gavaskar. The train moved only after all this.

Another related incident is also very interesting. This Mumbai team had a new youngster named Ravi Shastri. Most of the Mumbai regulars had even not seen him before that. Like all others, he was also asked to assemble at the platform but he was nowhere at the fixed time. Gavaskar didn’t know how to contact him or to find him out. The train started without Ravi on board.

players were occupying their respective berths, it was found that someone had occupied Ravi Shastri’s berth and was sleeping there. He was none other than Ravi Shastri himself. He had come early and without spending time in finding out his seniors, went to sleep on his berth. Seniors then woke him up and one by one introduced themselves.

There are various stories of train travel in the un-reserved compartments or with few available berths but none beats the plight of Bishan Singh Bedi. He was India’s top spinner at that time and once after a match in Nagpur, he was to play a Duleep Trophy match at Chandigarh after a gap of one day.

On the travel day, he found that there was no train reservation for him to travel back to Delhi and then to proceed to Chandigarh. With no time in hand, he jumped in the moving train and spent the whole night in the baggage rack. From Old Delhi Railway Station he went to ISBT at Kashmere Gate and took a bus to Chandigarh. This incident also reflects the player's dedication to play domestic cricket matches.