Richie Benaud was a love affair as deep as cricket itself

The Way of Cricket - Richie Benaud penned it in 1960. And in the book he created a trend that continued for 13 more books and millions and millions of hours on television. It was signature Benaud - crisp, succinct, delightful and yet never flashy. As cricket fans, most of us have grown up on the Benaud brand of commentary. Getting up in the morning to hear Benaud commentate on Channel 9 was a habit in the mid- and-late 1980s and 1990s. White hair and cream jacket talking about the game in the most accessible manner, Richie was a love affair as deep as cricket itself.

I had the opportunity to interact with him on three occasions. And on each I felt a tinge of nerve going up to him for a chat. The final time I met him was during the fourth India-Australia Test match at Adelaide in January 2012. I had started work on Sachin Tendulkar’s autobiography then and by way of background research had sought a few minutes with Richie to understand what he thought of Sachin and his contribution to cricket. Richie was forthcoming and immediately agreed to having a chat. It was the most engaging of discussions and once again what stood out was his ability to deconstruct complex issues in the most lucid manner.

But what is far more interesting is how the conversation ended. We were in the elevator together as Richie was summing up his thoughts for me. Just as the elevator door was closing, Tony Greig, another Channel 9 stalwart and Biswaroop Dey, now head of the BCCI’s media committee entered the lift. Biswaroop was serving as manager of the team and was there to request Tony to sign a few certificates for blood donors for CAB’s foundation day on February 3.

Apprised of the cause, Tony Greig agreed, and asked the number of certificates Biswaroop wanted him to sign. Meaning to say there are close to 2,000 donors but Greig could sign a few while all others could be given digitally signed ones. Biswaroop had just said 2,000 before someone interrupted... Tony Greig assumed he was being asked to sign 2,000 certificates and Richie, all of a sudden, burst out in a fit of laughter. He just couldn’t stop and was on Tony’s case as an embarrassed Biswaroop tried his best to overcome the situation. I had never seen this side of Richie and it was a pleasant surprise to say the least. Here was the man who was cricket’s voice on television and was always the one who was serious and to the point. Even his sense of humour was subtle and never overstated. To see him laugh wholeheartedly and rile Tony was amazing to see.

Tributes have poured in from all parts of the world for Benaud. And each one is much deserved. However, in the midst of it all one thing stand out - the breadth and scope of the Richie Benaud oeuvre. No cricketer has had the kind of impact Benaud has had as a writer and commentator. And it is near impossible to have a half a century long career in the media after captaining Australia with distinction for years. Benaud, who joined News of the World in 1960, did his final commentary stint in 2012-13.

Suffice to say cricket today is poorer with its best known face no more.