Courage and determination his trademark

Perhaps the greatest tribute to Pankaj Roy, who turns 72 on Wednesday, would be to point out that some of his records as an opening batsmen were not broken till a certain Sunil Manohar Gavaskar came along, about a decade after he played his last Test at Bombay in 1960. From 1951, when he made a sensational splash with two centuries in his first Test series, to 1960 he was the first choice as opening batsman. In 43 matches, Roy scored 2442 runs at an average of 32.56 with five hundreds and nine fifties. There were those who questioned his technique, especially later in his career but no one could doubt his courage, determination and temparament.

In the late forties, Roy was one of the most promising cricketers in the land and he started his Ranji Trophy career with an unbeaten century. On the basis of some excellent performances in the national competition and against visiting sides, Roy came into the Indian team as Vijay Merchant's opening partner in the great man's last Test - against England at New Delhi. It somehow seemed fitting that even as Merchant made his bow, Roy took centre stage. In his second Test, Roy scored 140 and for good measure, added 111 in the final Test at Madras which India won to register their first victory.

No Indian had got two hundreds in his maiden Test series and Roy's feat was duly hailed. On the tour of England in 1952 however he failed to live up to his promise and in the Tests scored but 54 runs in seven innings. This dismal run included five ducks, four in a row. This however was an aberration for throughout the decade, Roy remained a consistent run getter. Against West Indies in 1953 he and Vijay Manjrekar added 237 runs - an Indian record for the second wicket. And in 1955-56, came his crowning glory when he and Vinoo Mankad shared a first wicket partnership of 413 runs which still stands, after 44 years, as the world record. It certainly is Indian cricket's proudest statistical achievement. The two batted over a day and a half before Roy was out for 173. Today, Roy is justifiably proud of the record which has proved to be beyond the reach of so many great opening pairs.

After he started wearing spectacles in the mid 50s, Roy's technique was found wanting against pace bowlers, especially the short delivery. But banking on courage and determination, he saw to it that he remained India's opening batsman till the start of the new decade. His 90 against West Indies at Bombay in 1958, for which he batted 444 minutes to ensure a draw against Hall and Gilchrist was a typical effort. No less impressive was his obdurate 99 against Australia at New Delhi a year later when he defied the varied attack of Davidson, Meckiff, Kline and Benaud for about 4-1/2 hours in a vain bid to save the match. In England in 1959, the flaws in his technique were incessantly probed and exploited by Trueman and Statham. But he did have one moment of glory when in the first Test he top scored in both innings with 54 and 49 defying the attack for five hours in all in a losing cause.

In the Ranji Trophy, Roy had one of the most outstanding records. In a two decade long career he scored 5149 runs at an average of 66 with 21 hundreds. Even late in his career, he displayed his trademark courage and determination to score a century in each innings for Bengal against Hyderabad in 1962-63 in the face of some fearsome fast bowling by Gilchrist. His nephew, Ambar and son, Pronob both played for India, making the Roy clan's record a most unusual one.