City cricket loses Papa; Karkhanis no more at 83

Mumbai’s 1967-68 Ranji Trophy-winning team wicketkeeper-batsman Vijay Karkhanis passed away at his residence in Borivli on Sunday. He was 83. Karkhanis, who represented Mumbai in seven first-class games, was known as Papa in the cricketing fraternity.

He scored 53 and 43 against Madras in the 1967-68 Ranji final at the Brabourne Stadium to help the Manohar Hardikar-led Mumbai team clinch their 10th successive Ranji title. His former Mumbai and Shivaji Park Gymkhana (SPG) teammate left-arm spinner Padmakar Shivalkar, 84, who passed away last March, also contributed to their triumph, claiming five wickets in the final.  

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Ashok Wadekar, who used to open the innings with Karkhanis for SPG, recalled how the latter helped him stay unbeaten in his debut Kanga League game. “Vijay Manjrekar was our captain and we were playing against Islam Gymkhana. Our target was to score 120 runs in the first hour, but we managed just 80. So, I got a message from the captain that if I was not able to play attacking shots, then I should throw my wicket and come back, but Karkhanis encouraged me. He said, ‘this is your first game, so don’t worry, I will score the runs fast.’ He scored an attacking half-century and got out. Later, Ajit [elder brother Wadekar] and I remain unbeaten, scoring around 190 in the given time. He was always a very nice and helpful person,” Wadekar told mid-day on Sunday.

Veteran coach Vilas Godbole praised Karkanis for his wicketkeeping: “Shivalkar, Papa and myself made our debut for SPG in 1960-61 and helped the club reach the Talim Shield final. Papa was a good wicketkeeper, a very joyful person. He enjoyed reproducing dialogues of Marathi dramas.”

This article first appeared on Mid Day