Threatened at a cocktail party, the next morning a bouncer hit him and broke his skull, the Indian captain's career ended in the ICU

Threatened at a cocktail party, the next morning a bouncer hit him and broke his skull, the Indian captain's career ended in the ICU Newspoint | 05/05/2025 23:39:10

Nari contractor injury: This is the time when helmets were not made for batsmen in cricket. After getting injured by the ball of West Indies' Charlie Griffith, one of the fastest bowlers of his time, Indian captain Nari contractor...

Highlights

Nari Contractor was unconscious for six days after being hit by a ball on the head
After this incident he did not play for the Indian team again
Incident from the 3rd Test against West Indies in the 60s

New Delhi: Batting has often been dangerous since the game's earliest days. Even in the modern age of padding and helmets, the danger remains. The good news is that serious and life-threatening injuries are rare, but in 1962, India's young captain Nari Contractor was hit so hard by a ball from West Indies fast bowler Charlie Griffith that he never played cricket for India again.

The dangerous Caribbean tour of 1961-62

In fact, left-handed batsman Nari Contractor made his Test debut in 1955-56 at the age of 21. In 1960-61, he was made the youngest captain of India. A year later, he led the team to a historic series win over England. He was selected to lead India on the Caribbean tour in 1961-62, but there he faced the biggest pain of his life.

What happened at the cocktail party?

After losing the first two Tests, India reached Barbados to play the third match. Before the match, both teams had a cocktail party, where West Indies captain Frank Worrell directly threatened the Indian captain. Actually, Team India was already struggling with injuries. In such a situation, Worrell had explained that it is better to get out than to get hit. Frank, while telling about the dangerous attitude of his bowler Charlie Griffith, had said that he hit the ball on the head of an 18-year-old batsman and did not apologize to him, so stay away from him.

Then what was feared happened

, now the match starts, West Indies batted first and put up 394 runs on the scoreboard. After this what was feared happened, on 17 March 1962, fast bowler Charlie Griffith bowled such a bouncer that the skull bone of the captain of the Indian cricket team broke. Due to which his career ended prematurely. Charlie Griffith, who played 28 Tests for West Indies between 1960 and 1969, also injured Vijay Manjrekar in the same match by hitting him with a bouncer.

Caribbean captain saved

Nari Contractor's life by donating blood. Nari Contractor was immediately admitted to the hospital. Where the captain of the opposing team, Sir Frank Worrell, was the first person to donate blood for Nari Contractor. Chandu Bord, Bapu Nandkarni, Polly Umrigar also donated blood. Only after that his life was saved. In memory of this incident, Cricket Association of Bengal organizes blood donation camp every year on its foundation day, 3 February, since 1981. This day is celebrated as Frank Worrell Day.