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Srijit's Mukherjee

My playing eleven traveling to Mars for the Inter-Galactic Cup for playback singers…

1. Manna Dey- An opening batsman in the classical mould, who can adapt remarkably to any conditions…be it swinging taans or seaming emotions. Had trained under coach KC Right which probably accounts for the correctness of his shots. Who can forget his epic Ketaki gulab juhi innings where he encountered the bouncers from the terrifying fast bowler Josheph Bhimson with consummate ease. That smooth flowing Har taraf ab yahin afsane under the demanding pitch conditions of Madan Gardens. Or for that matter the delicate, quivering, late-cut laced innings Ae mere pyare watan when he represented Afghanistan in a voice modulation exhibition match. A batsman for all occasions really, but generally underrated and with a low profile due to lack of Actor endorsements.
2. Sonu Nigam- Partnering him would be the young blood recently grafted into the team after a string of solid performances in the domestic arena. Started off with idolizing the icon of Hindi Playback, Md.Rafi. Strengths…solid classical defence, ability to go over the top in the first fifteen overs for songs in the ODI s, remarkably fit with arrogant fielding capabilities. Weakness…to go over the top, playing irresponsible shots to clear that fielder at extra murki or yodel, and as a result terminating a budding innings. Has been reined in by his domestic co-player, S.E.L Lotmore, off late with surprisingly good results.
3. Md.Rafi- Has served HFM for years (though the last years before retirement, depended on a lot on the past laurels for the National Selection) and is undoubtedly one of the main pillars of the team. A legend, a remarkably humble genius…when he bends his voice, and then his vocal chords caress the notes through the covers like an affectionate knife through butter, the result is a sheer treat for the audience. Has the full repertoire of shots, though looks a bit ungainly when tries the unconventional madcap paddle.. patented by a different member of the team. Looks the best when playing in tandem with Sachin in the domestic circuit, for he brings out the best in him. Their most famous partnerships include the Hum bekhudi mein against the Andaman XI, a long standing and playing HMV record. Similarly, Polygram record for the last wicket in the 1970's, Mera Man Tera Pyasaa in the evergreen Navketan grounds. But when partnering someone like Laxmi Ratan Dholak-laa, looks bored. Again has a solid defence set in the classical mould, where he actually smells even the half-notes when in a forward defensive posture. An ideal one-down candidate.
4. Kishore Kumar- The most enigmatic member of the team and a very media-shy person who hates post-match conferences. An all-rounder in the truest sense of the word, has a more than useful composing arm which can bowl you over with disarmingly simple deliveries. But it is his batting which is the main crowd puller. Very unorthodox style, but superbly effective mostly. Is a complete natural, has an utter disregard for coaching book manuals and depends on his ear-voice co-ordination for last minute improvisations. And he has god-gifted timing as well…when the ball of emotions hits his timbre, the wooden sound is one of the sweetest around. He is famous for his reverse sweep yodels amongst other unconventional shots- one of the finest innings of his in this regard is the one which he played for his home production county in the treacherous Jhumroo Talaiyya grounds. His coming of age innings came in the 1969 World Cup, where he pulverized the opposition with a triple hundred partnering an indisposed Sachin with Rahul as a runner. Along with Md.Rafi, the fulcrum of the batting order- when they hit them, they stay box-office hit.
5. Shankar Mahadevan- Again a new entry to the team, with a reputation of picking up runs at a frantic pace with impeccable shot selection. Also has represented the planet in Inter-Galactic tournaments for Fusion and Carnatic musicians. Though an all-rounder with brisk discotheque pace mixed with sentimental slower ones, he can make the cut solely as a batsman. Holds the HMV record (though for a non-film club match) for the fastest innings Breathless, where he scored about three stanzas in one delivery. An utility member of the team, with a small but impressive history of good performances against classical pace, contemporary leg-spin of dance numbers and dibbly dobbly medium rhythm of love songs. Memorable performances include Jaane yeh kya ho gaya against Armaanian National Team and Aasmaan ke paar shayad while playing for Rockford county with S.E.L Lotmore.
6. Amit Kumar- Completing the list of batsmen, would be the mercurial talent of this member whose robust hitting have left many a ears craving for more. Being short on technique, he makes it up with his lazy elegance and powerful baritone of the bat. Had a very bright start to his career under the captaincy of and in partnership with Rahul, but lost the plot somewhere due to an inexplicable indifference. The grapevine has it that it was due to explicable differences with the Board, but whatever it may be, a definite selection for my team. One of his earliest innings, Bade achche lagte hai, in an partnership with Rahul again, is etched out in public memory..though my personal favourite remains the tremendous Daur-e-khiza where he stitched a remarkable partnership batting with Kishore Kumar. Does have the penchant for unconventional shot selection, and probably the only one in the team who can hold a teeny-weeny candle to Kishore Kumar in that regard.
7. Hemant Kumar- Though he was first selected as a composing wicketkeeper-singing batsman, somehow he is more well-known for his batsmanship. But in reality he is a very limited batsman with just one god-gifted aspect- the sound of his timbre, or in other words, his timing. In fact, the famous words of S.O'Leal, if God were to time his strokes, he would do it like Hemant. Would, on many occasions, wrongly accentuate his footwork, but would still get away due to this divine timing. On the other what is hardly given its true recognition is his composure, while wicketkeeping. His is a simple, uncluttered approach to the orchestration of his movements behind the stumps. Something so fluid, so dulcet….that when in his movement behind the stump, he would be poetry in motion. Such is his charm, that when he would sledge Zaraa nazron se kehdo ji, nishana chuk naa jaaye and the batsman would inevitably miss the line of the ball and get stumped, the batsman would turn around and say "Play it again, Hem".
8. Talat Mehmood- A medium fast bowler whose run-up is as smooth as a dewdrops sliding off palm leaves in the early morning hours. Effortless approach to the singing crease, and not a single crease in his action which lets go of the note in a sublime delicacy of movement. A famous ghazaler of beer, a down to earth hardworking member of the team, he is an invaluable asset. And unlike some tearaway bowlers like Sajjad Whosane and Anon Malik who have had short stays in public memories due to injuries, absolutely non-existent attitude or verbal duals. Most of his great performances have come in the Yusufkhana grounds, his favourite stadium and his best bowling performance personally has been the one in response to his pain at the match-fixing allegations leveled against the team…Sham-e-gham ki qasam…
9. Mukesh- Slow Right Nose bowler, had strangely laboured and technically faulty action. With great mass appeal because his honest approach to the game, believes in the old school of thought which resulted slow, sad, flighted deliveries, which would probably take so much time to reach the batsman, he would get frustrated. But his talent lies in the fact that after five pedestrian deliveries would impart a deadly one and would hit right at the middle stump of the heart. A very deceptive customer who can bowl a very ordinary delivery, which will grow on you, and you will be taken by surprise by the extra bounce. Case in point, that remarkable over that he bowled in Khai-i-aam (renamed as Asharjah in 1981) in UAE…a googly in Woh subah kabhi to, a venomous snorter in Chinoo arab humara and the faster one in Aasmaan pe hain khuda…was promoted up the order to two down for nasal pinch hitting under S.O'Leal's captaincy for the Anand Cup and did a decent job. However Manna Dey admitted in a post-match conference that he thought the match situation demanded Kishore Kumar's exuberance which could have sealed the issue faster.
10. Yesudas- A legend in the local circuit, probably his heavily accentuated south-on action cut short his career, But probably one of greatest who have taken to the red cherry, and wielded it with supreme control and undisputed mastery, especially when it came to classical swing bowling. Impeccable line and length of rendition, his famous exploits include ripping through the opponent with a breezy Jaaneman jaaneman in Chateau S' Batelet in France and the Chand akela/Koi gaataa main so jaataa with opening fast bowler J.Dev. An automatic choice.
11. Hariharan- Has the variety in the ouvre to bamboozle any batsman. Be it Yo-yorkers or Bandish-bouncers, Love song late swings or Depressing doosras, he has delivered them all. The television graphics crew does have a problem when he swings (and seams and spins) into action. Again with a plethora of remarkable achievements to boot in the local circuit, his foray into HFM arena has been especially fruitful with the partnerships forged with opening bowler AR Rayman, the pioneer of electronic bowling shoes. Both, aided by technology, have bowled spells of great character and melodic content. His excellent performances include the match saving Sun ri sakhi, the Chanda re (on not exactly a flat pitch though) spell and Nahin saamne in a friendly at Naini-Taal. Will share the new ball with Yesudas, with an alaap.