nari contractor: Ball hit on chest, rib broken… still did not leave the field, Sunil Gavaskar became emotional remembering the courage of Nari Contractor

New Delhi. Nari Contractor, the name of Indian cricket who was counted among the most successful opener batsmen in the 1960s. A stylish left-handed batsman, who was recognized more for his precise technique and determination to face the bowlers boldly than for his runs. However, he could not contribute much to Indian cricket. In 1962, a ball hit on the head ended his international career. This former Indian captain was honored with the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ at the ‘Sportstar Aces Awards 2026’ held in Mumbai. Great Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar gave this award to the female contractor. After giving the award, when Gavaskar took the mike to say a few words for him, he became emotional. Gavaskar narrated an anecdote about a female contractor batting courageously.

Gavaskar said that for him, giving this honor to a woman contractor is a special moment. Gavaskar said emotionally, ‘It is a great honor for me that I am giving this award to Nari Bhai.’ Recalling the example of the contractor, Gavaskar narrated an incident of a Test match played at the historic ground of Lord’s in 1959, which had a deep impact on him in his childhood. He said, ‘At the very beginning of the innings, Brian Statham’s ball hit him on his chest and one of his ribs was broken, but even after this he continued to bat for two-three hours and finally got out after scoring 81 runs. At that time I only played a little cricket in the street, but seeing this inspired me a lot.

Recalling a lesson he learned from a female contractor, Gavaskar said, ‘If you want to become an opening batsman, you have to be ready to bear the pain and play for your country. You should be prepared to risk your life if necessary.

When Gavaskar got career changing advice
Gavaskar told that an advice from a female contractor had a deep impact on his career. Gavaskar said, ‘Once he told me – ‘Sunil, whenever you play well, write everything about that day in a diary. Everything from waking up in the morning to brushing teeth, what you ate for breakfast, how you went to the field, where you sat and how you were feeling at that time. Then he said, ‘When your game is going bad, read the same page of that diary again. This will give you confidence that you can bat well and score runs.