Gupte's Day at the Green Park - 9-102 Against West Indies (1959)

Subhas Gupte is recognized as the greatest spinneragainst this powerful west Indian batting side he was a
produced by India. With 149 test wickets in 36 Testtremendous success. Rohan Kanhai has gone on
matches Gupte certainly deserves entry into cricketsrecord to say that mastering Gupte gave him the
hall of fame. We must remember that these 149greatest satisfaction.The great Sobers has rated
wickets were taken when the fielding was the weakgupte the best spinner Indian ever produced.
point of the Indian team and catches were spilled byThe second test at Kanpur on the green park was the
the galore.stage for Gupte to excel. The West indies won the
However one performance that can never betoss and elected to bat. Hunte and Holt opened and in
forgotten is Gupta against the powerful West Indiesno time the score board read 55-0. Indian supporters
team which came to India under the captaincy ofwere dismayed as Umrigar the Indian captain brought
wicket keeper batsman Gerry Alexander. This touron Gupte. Now started a magical spell. He removed
was important for the West Indies as it was the lastboth the openers and had Kanhai snared for 0. Sobers
series ever that a white man led the Indies.was out facing Gupte for 4 and in no time the West
The team which came to India had names who haveIndies were reduced to 88-6. All six wickets were
become legend's in their own right.Thus Garfieldclaimed by Gupte.
Sobers, Rohan Kanhai, Wes Hall, Conrad Hunte andThe west Indies thanks to a gritty knock from
many more were part of this squad. The Indian teamAlexander reached 222, but Subhas had figures of 9
was in tatters. They had just returned after a 5-0for 102. It was a sterling performance and the entire
white wash in England and dissension ruled the roost.InIndian team clapped Gupte off the field. The crown
fact in this there was a tussle and as many as 3roared its appreciation as they realized that Gupte had
captains were tried out.almost equaled Lakers feat.
In all this turmoil Gupte stick to his task manfully. But