We all know about the magnificent batting exploits of Rohan Kanhai in Test cricket, but the social significance of his coming and superlative qualities seems lesser appreciated.
When Kanhai made his Test debut in 1957 he was only the second West Indian of East Indian origin to do so, after Sonny Ramadin. He was the first East Indian from Guyana to play Test cricket, despite the outstanding all-round efforts of Chatterpal Persaud. Back then, East Indians simply weren't given a fair break to reach the highest levels of cricket - either in Guyana or the West Indies, because they were considered "too soft for Test cricket" (I am not East Indian, by the way).
Kanhai's emergence may not have been entirely accidental. It seems that Robert Christiani got wind of a pocket of excellent cricketers in mostly-East-Indian Port Mourant, Berbice, and told Clive Walcott about it while on tour with the West Indies in India. Walcott got a coaching job with Bookers Sugar Estates and was sent to Albion, where he soon started coaching Kanhai, Butcher, Solomon, Madray and others.
With Walcott's support Kanhai blossomed in the British Guiana team, and soon in the West Indies team. He immediately established himself, and quickly destroyed the myth that East Indians were "too soft" for the rigors of Test cricket. Not only did he pave the way for other East Indians like Kallicharran, Chanderpaul and Sarwan, but he also established a long line of Guyanese players in the West Indies team.
Before Kanhai no Guyanese player held a regular spot in the West Indies team. Robert Christiani played 22 Tests before Kanhai, but he couldn't command a regular spot in competition with the three W's. Bruce Pairaudeau too couldn't keep a regular spot, despite scoring a century on Test debut.
Kanhai's brilliance made the West Indian selectors look to British Guiana as a new source of good quality players - and the Guyanese did not disappoint. Gibbs, Lloyd, Butcher, Fredericks, Kallicharran and others followed in an endless stream. West Indies, already strong with players from Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados, now found that extra edge to challenge the best Test teams in the world.
Thus, Kanhai unwittingly pioneered the cause of East Indian and Guyanese cricketers in West Indies cricket through his own brilliance and exuberance that is still unmatched and marveled at today.
Norm
Kanhai: Social Pioneering Thru Cricket
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The Black Prince
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My fellow Berbician bhai Krishna who now has his own cricket site, Windiesforum.com, once labelled Chanderpaul the Jackie Robinson of West Indies cricket.Norm wrote: Thus, Kanhai unwittingly pioneered the cause of East Indian and Guyanese cricketers in West Indies cricket through his own brilliance and exuberance that is still unmatched and marveled at today.
Norm
It looks as if my fellow Berbician Rohan Kanhai was the real Jackie Robinson of West Indies cricket.
Thank heavens Walcott landed a job with Bookers sugar estates.
Kanhai was easy to spot. One look at a young Rohan Kanhai and Walcott knew he was looking at a batting genius.
There are numerous East Indians who were just as talented as Kanhai, but they faded away in obscurity.
Rohan Kanhai is the best batsman Guyana has ever produced and one of the best batsmen the world has ever seen.
And yes, Norm is right. My fellow Berbician Rohan Kanhai was, indeed, a social engineer.
