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    When Sunil Gavaskar got Bachchans' lawyer Sarosh Zaiwalla out for a very low score

    Synopsis

    Zaiwalla and the legendary batsman went to the same school and played opposite each other once.

    ET's dualpane (27)Agencies
    During a recent trip to Mumbai, Zaiwalla, a London-based lawyer who has had several high-profile clients, spoke about his love for cricket and playing a school game with Gavaskar.
    One wore cricket whites. The other got into the lawyer’s black robe. But as children, Sunil Gavaskar and Sarosh Zaiwalla competed in the same arena.

    During a recent trip to Mumbai, Zaiwalla, a London-based lawyer who has had several high-profile clients, spoke about his love for cricket and playing a school game with Gavaskar.

    “Sunil was in my school — St Xaviers, Fort,” Zaiwalla said. “My first sight of him was during lunch hour one day. He was in short trousers. In an inter-class cricket final, Sunil got me out leg before for a very low score.” Zaiwalla, the Bachchan brothers’ lawyer in their Bofors case, recalled the blooming of his interest in cricket, evoking the Bombay of the past.

    “Saturdays, Sundays, I would take a four anna ticket and sit in the North Stand at Brabourne Stadium, watching Ranji Trophy matches,” said Zaiwalla. “The first time I saw a Test match (India vs Australia, 1960) was from the terrace of Framroze Court at Marine Drive. My first view was Pankaj Roy being clean bowled by Alan Davidson for 6. And I remember Nari Contractor scored 106. He was caught by Richie Benaud off Davidson. That was a match where Polly Umrigar and GS Ramchand were there. Ghulam Guard was the fast bowler. Tall chap. He was in the fire department those days.” Zaiwalla is only slightly off the mark in his retelling of events.

    Contractor actually made 108. And Ian Meckiff, not Davidson, dismissed him.

    After going to England to pursue a legal career, Zaiwalla stayed in touch with the game. He saw a bit of the first World Cup in 1975 as well as the last one, in 2019. “I had very little money in 1975 but managed to get a ticket for the cheapest stand at Lord’s,” Zaiwalla said. “Last year, I went for the final. I was expecting to see India vs England. Once India lost, I was happy England won. I like to support the underdog. England, South Africa and New Zealand had never won the World Cup.”


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