XtraTime Web Desk: For anyone following Indian cricket during the 70s will agree former India and Bengal opener Gopal Bose deserved to play test cricket for India. The be-spectacled batsman from Bengal was born on this day in 1947. Bose, for many was a deserving candidate to be the opening partner of Sunil Gavaskar.
Gopal Bose grew up as a cricketer who relied on his technique. He had the ability to play a long innings. Bose first came into prominence when he scored 113 against a South Zone attack that comprised of
EAS Prasanna, Bhagwath Chandrasekhar, and S Venkataraghavan in 1970-71. His innings of 170 for Rest of India against a strong Bombay attack in Irani Trophy 1974-74 opened the doors for him in the Indian team. He was picked for the tour of Sri Lanka. The talented opener from Bengal went on to score a brilliant 104 in the unofficial ‘Test’ and also shared an opening partnership of 194 runs with Gavaskar.
Following his show in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Gopal Bose was selected for the disastrous ‘Summer of 42’ tour to England in 1974 where India lost all five matches of the series including the three test matches. India recorded its lowest total in test cricket history, getting bundled out for 42 in just 17 overs in the second innings at Lords.
Farokh Engineer opened the bating for India with Gavaskar in the first two tests at Old Trafford and Lords. Sudhir Nayak, who made his debut, was preferred over Gopal Bose in the third test match at Edgbaston. Perhaps the scores of 59, 66 and 40 in three tour matches were not enough to convince the tour selection committee to give Bose a maiden call up.
Gopal Bose’s only opportunity to play in the series came when he made his debut in the second ODI at Birmingham. He was picked as the lone spinner alongside three pace-bowling all-rounders — Abid Ali, Madan Lal, and Solkar. The fifth bowler was Ashok Mankad. He scored only 13 runs and picked the wicket of David Lloyd in his quota of 11 overs.
Perhaps the best chance for Gopal Bose making his test debut came during the following season when he replaced an injured Gavaskar for the test match at Chepauk. Many expected him to make his debut as he was the only specialist opener alongside Farokh Engineer. But the selectors decided to promote Eknath Solkar to open the innings with Engineer. He never got a call to represent the country later.
Bose went on to play 78 first class matches, scoring 3757 runs at an average of 31:00. He also took 72 wickets at 26.97 runs apiece with his off-spin.
After retirement Bose served as a Bengal selector and coached the junior team as well. He was also the manager of the Virat Kohli-led India Under-19 side that won the World Cup in 2008.
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He passed away on August 26, 2018 after a brief illness in Birmingham, the city where he made his international debut.