What’s in name? This famed Juliet poser to Romeo would qualify as the ultimate cliché in English. Yet, I am tempted to use it, albeit, in a twisted manner.
Can any other name sit as majestically as ‘Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards’ would, on a player known to lord the cricket field? And, to borrow words from Juliet - Would Lara, were he not Brian Charles Lara called, resonate the same grace and elegance that the batsman so epitomized?
Probably not.
But when Morne Van Wyk, Duminy and Thandi Tshabalala’s names appeared on the score sheet during the recent India Vs South Africa ODI series in Ireland, I found myself - much to my dismay - gravitating towards the Shakespearean logic of ‘What’s in name?’
But when Morne Van Wyk, Duminy and Thandi Tshabalala’s names appeared on the score sheet during the recent India Vs South Africa ODI series in Ireland, I found myself - much to my dismay - gravitating towards the Shakespearean logic of ‘What’s in name?’
(Imagine what it would be like when Holland becomes a full-fledged test-playing nation and once the Chinese start storming cricket’s citadel too. Some of the names would be as tongue twisting to us as Venkatraghavan’s was, to the Englishmen during the 1971 tour. They renamed him 'Rent a Wagon'. Sometimes I wonder what they made of his teammate and the stylish batsman, Motganhalli Laxmanarsu Jaisimha’s name!)
There are curious tales behind some of the famous names in Indian cricket.
Vijay Madhavji Thackersey, India’s opening batsman of 1930s and 40s, became Vijay Merchant during his school days. One apocryphal story goes that Vijay’s schoolteacher had asked him his family name. It seems Vijay confused it as a query about his family business and said – Merchant, and thus, ‘Merchant’ became his family name forever.
Is there a similar story behind how Mulwantrai Mankad became ‘Vinoo’ Mankad? I know not of any, but amongst the other instances known to me, former Pakistan captain played many a memorable innings as Abdul Hafeez - most notable being his 173 against the Australian Services team, led by Lindsay Hassett, that came to India in 1946 – before he migrated to Pakistan and played as AH Kardar. India’s legendary leg spinner Subhash Gupte earned forever, the name of ‘Fergie’ on the West Indies tour of 1952, courtesy the famous West Indian leg spinner Alfred Fergusson. More recently, Vangipuruppu Venkat Sai Laxman became 'Very Very Special' in the eyes of Ian Chappell after his dazzling form against the invincible Aussies.
Cricket historian Ramchandra Guha informs us in one of his article that Mohammad Yousuf was not the only cricketer to play under two different names and two different faiths. Former Indian test player A G Kripal Singh too did so, without changing his initials. AG Kripal Singh, converted to Christianity to marry the love of his life, and played under the name of ‘A.G. Kripal Singh’, with Amritsar Gurugobind becoming Arnold George!
Whilst on faiths, it is indeed striking that the longest names in Indian cricket invariably invoke multiple gods. VVS Laxman and S. Venkatraghavan invoke three, while Laxman Sivaramakrishnan appeals to four! Still a miniscule figure, considering there are 330 million gods to pray to!
Some of the longest names in world cricket undoubtedly belong to the Sri Lankans. The team’s unsung hero -Vaas’ full name is Warnakulasuriya Patebendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas. Imagine the commentator calling him by his full name, everytime he comes up to bowl. Vaas would probably be halfway though his over! And what if Denagamage Proboth Mahela de Silva Jayawardene insists that his partners call him thus, every time they give him a shout for a single?
An elementary search on this wonderful medium of internet reveals that the player with maximum number of initials is Amunugama Rajapakse Rajakaruna Abeykoon Panditha Wasalamudiyanse Ralahamilage Ranjith Krishantha Bandara Amunugama, although the current Sri Lankan leg spinner, Siththa Brahakmana Herath Mudiyanselage Walawwe Buddika Thaminda Bandara Ellepola, would give a good run for his money.
Talking of the ‘long’, can the ‘short’ be far behind? I will limit myself to Indian cricketers in this particular case. Nazir Ali and Wazir Ali - both played India’s first test in 1932 at Lords - can be ‘short’listed in this category along with Rusi Modi. However, the honour of being the most ‘Lilliputian’ name would go to Ajit Pai and Abid Ali, both only seven letters ‘long’.
It will take a Chinese invasion to shrink the names any further!
While the Sri Lankans would stake claim over the longest string of names and Indians over the shortest, the record for the longest family name belongs to a Fijian cricketer, who was called Ilikena Lasurusa Talebulamaineiilikenamainavaleniveivakabulaimainakulalakebalau. Phew, a surname of 62 letters!
Read that and beat that.
There are curious tales behind some of the famous names in Indian cricket.
Vijay Madhavji Thackersey, India’s opening batsman of 1930s and 40s, became Vijay Merchant during his school days. One apocryphal story goes that Vijay’s schoolteacher had asked him his family name. It seems Vijay confused it as a query about his family business and said – Merchant, and thus, ‘Merchant’ became his family name forever.
Is there a similar story behind how Mulwantrai Mankad became ‘Vinoo’ Mankad? I know not of any, but amongst the other instances known to me, former Pakistan captain played many a memorable innings as Abdul Hafeez - most notable being his 173 against the Australian Services team, led by Lindsay Hassett, that came to India in 1946 – before he migrated to Pakistan and played as AH Kardar. India’s legendary leg spinner Subhash Gupte earned forever, the name of ‘Fergie’ on the West Indies tour of 1952, courtesy the famous West Indian leg spinner Alfred Fergusson. More recently, Vangipuruppu Venkat Sai Laxman became 'Very Very Special' in the eyes of Ian Chappell after his dazzling form against the invincible Aussies.
Cricket historian Ramchandra Guha informs us in one of his article that Mohammad Yousuf was not the only cricketer to play under two different names and two different faiths. Former Indian test player A G Kripal Singh too did so, without changing his initials. AG Kripal Singh, converted to Christianity to marry the love of his life, and played under the name of ‘A.G. Kripal Singh’, with Amritsar Gurugobind becoming Arnold George!
Whilst on faiths, it is indeed striking that the longest names in Indian cricket invariably invoke multiple gods. VVS Laxman and S. Venkatraghavan invoke three, while Laxman Sivaramakrishnan appeals to four! Still a miniscule figure, considering there are 330 million gods to pray to!
Some of the longest names in world cricket undoubtedly belong to the Sri Lankans. The team’s unsung hero -Vaas’ full name is Warnakulasuriya Patebendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas. Imagine the commentator calling him by his full name, everytime he comes up to bowl. Vaas would probably be halfway though his over! And what if Denagamage Proboth Mahela de Silva Jayawardene insists that his partners call him thus, every time they give him a shout for a single?
An elementary search on this wonderful medium of internet reveals that the player with maximum number of initials is Amunugama Rajapakse Rajakaruna Abeykoon Panditha Wasalamudiyanse Ralahamilage Ranjith Krishantha Bandara Amunugama, although the current Sri Lankan leg spinner, Siththa Brahakmana Herath Mudiyanselage Walawwe Buddika Thaminda Bandara Ellepola, would give a good run for his money.
Talking of the ‘long’, can the ‘short’ be far behind? I will limit myself to Indian cricketers in this particular case. Nazir Ali and Wazir Ali - both played India’s first test in 1932 at Lords - can be ‘short’listed in this category along with Rusi Modi. However, the honour of being the most ‘Lilliputian’ name would go to Ajit Pai and Abid Ali, both only seven letters ‘long’.
It will take a Chinese invasion to shrink the names any further!
While the Sri Lankans would stake claim over the longest string of names and Indians over the shortest, the record for the longest family name belongs to a Fijian cricketer, who was called Ilikena Lasurusa Talebulamaineiilikenamainavaleniveivakabulaimainakulalakebalau. Phew, a surname of 62 letters!
Read that and beat that.
