Talent that never received its due
Considering the potential he first displayed at the University level and then going by the promise he held out on the basis of his first innings in Test cricket, Ambar Roy's international career could be termed as a disappointment
Partab Ramchand
05-Jun-2000
Considering the potential he first displayed at the University level
and then going by the promise he held out on the basis of his first
innings in Test cricket, Ambar Roy's international career could be
termed as a disappointment. Only four Tests, all played in the course
of a single season and just 91 runs at an average of 13 are poor
returns from a cricketer from whom much was expected. But on his 55th
birth anniversary which falls today, it is worth making a rational
anlaysis of his career and examine whether it could have been better.
In the mid sixties, Ambar was considered to be one of the most
exciting young batsmen in the country. A left hander, capable of
making dazzling strokes all round the wicket coupled with natural
elegance, he not only made tall scores but got them handsomely. A
nephew of Pankaj Roy, Ambar had the pedigree too to back him up and it
was taken for granted that an India cap would be his ere long. But it
took Vijay Merchant's youth policy to get him into the national side.
The chairman of the selection committee was determined to invest in
young cricketers when he took over in the late 60s and among those who
he backed was Ambar.
The left hander from Bengal, then 23, made his debut against New
Zealand at Nagpur and straightaway showed his class. In reply to New
Zealand's total of 319, India were floundering at 150 for six when
Ambar came in on the third morning. Soon a seventh wicket fell at 161
and Engineer joined Ambar with only Prasanna and Bedi in the pavilion.
Despite the grim situation and ignoring the fact that it was his first
Test innings, Ambar batted with gay abandon. He even outscored the
flamboyant Engineer and against a varied New Zealand attack - Dayle
Hadlee, Bob Cunis, Headley Howarth, Vic Pollard and Brian Yuile - he
made a number of attacking strokes. When he had reached 48, he had hit
as many as ten boundaries, a remarkably high proportion. He was last
out - trying for the stroke that would hurry him to his half century -
but in the meantime had succeeded in stretching the total to 257. The
critics ran out of adjectives in describing the little gem of an
innings and hailed him as a new star on the batting horizon.
In the next three innings however Ambar had scores of 2,0 and 4 though
it must immediately be said that the pitches were difficult. He was
omitted for the next two Tests but Merchant, convinced that he
deserved another chance brought him back for the third Test against
Australia at New Delhi. Another duck followed in the only innings he
got and in the next Test before his home crowd at the Eden Gardens, he
had improved to scores of 18 and 19 in conditions which favoured
bowlers. He was however dropped but it was taken for granted that the
chop was only temporary and Ambar would be back.
Ambar was one of the contenders for the middle order batting slots for
the tour of West Indies in 1971 but missed out narrowly. His name was
never considered after that even though he remained a pillar of
strength for Bengal and East Zone. In the Ranji Trophy, he scored 3817
runs (49.57) in a long career which lasted almost two decades. A look
at these figures, along with his class, talent and pedigree and one is
convinced that he was discarded too soon. Ambar was certainly a
cricketer who deserved more chances.
In later years, Ambar became a national selector before he died
following a heart attack in 1997. He takes his place alongside the
many cricketers who did not receive a fair deal from the authorities.