MUMBAI: Paying a rich tribute to Eknath Solkar, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) announced on Thursday that it will give Rs 10 lakh to the former India and Mumbai cricket great’s family.
Solkar, a left-handed batsman who played 27 Tests and seven ODIs, and was known for his exceptional fielding at forward short-leg, took 53 catches in Test cricket. He passed away on June 26, 2005.
Incidentally, January 23 marked the exact 50 years to the start of the first-ever Test at the Wankhede Stadium, between India and West Indies, in 1975. Solkar, the son of a groundsman at PJ Hindy Gymkhana on the Marine Drive, became the first Indian to score a century at the Wankhede when he scored 102 in the first innings. West Indies won the Test by 201 runs.
“We are thrilled to announce that the MCA has achieved a Guinness World Record for the ‘Largest Cricket Ball Sentence’ at Wankhede, using 14,505 red & white cricket balls! This incredible feat, commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the first Test match at Wankhede, is dedicated to the memory of Late Shri Eknath Solkar and other former Mumbai players who have served Mumbai Cricket and are no longer with us,” MCA president Ajinkya Naik said.