Gollum Posted May 1, 2020 Share Posted May 1, 2020 (edited) After PK's demise another shock for Indian sports. Om Shanti. Quote Former India football captain Chuni Goswami, who led India to the 1962 Asian Games gold, passed away in Kolkata after a prolonged illness. Chuni Goswami was the most successful Indian football captain ever and under his captaincy, India won the gold medal in 1962 Asian Games and finished runners-up in 1964 Asian Cup. The iconic sportsperson, who also played first-class cricket for Bengal, was 82 and breathed his last at a hospital here. He is survived by his wife Basanti and son Sudipto. "He suffered a cardiac arrest and died in the hospital at around 5pm," a family source told PTI. Goswami was suffering from underlying ailments, including sugar, prostrate and nerve problems. Goswami played 50 matches for India as a footballer from 1956 to 1964. As a cricketer, he represented Bengal in 46 first-class games between 1962 and 1973. Born on 15 January 1938, in the Kishoreganj district of undivided Bengal (now Bangladesh), Subimal (Chuni) Goswami began his professional career with local giants Mohan Bagan FC in 1954 as a junior player. In college, he captained the Calcutta University teams in both football and cricket. Extreme left, the GOAT troika of Indian football Edited May 1, 2020 by Gollum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollum Posted May 1, 2020 Author Share Posted May 1, 2020 (edited) Chuni was arguably the 2nd greatest Indian footballer and twice chosen Asian player of the year by FIFA. What most won't know is he was a damn good cricketer who took Bengal to 2 Ranji finals in 1968-69 and 1971-72. Both times Bengal lost to Bombay, first against Wadekar's side and in '72 against Gavaskar's side. In the '69 final he was top scorer of the match (96, 84) http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1960S/1968-69/IND_LOCAL/RANJI/KNOCK-OUTS/BOM_BENG_RJI-FINAL_15-19FEB1969.html He led East+Central against Sobers' WI in a warm-up fixture (1966) and his side won by an innings !!!! Chuni took 5+3 wickets including Kanhai twice. Edited May 1, 2020 by Gollum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diga Posted May 1, 2020 Share Posted May 1, 2020 Nice info.. saw this in todays newspaper too... Some more snippets on this multi talented footballer/cricketer Quote Legend has it that when Goswami announced his international retirement in 1965 in Mumbai, two special fans met him and requested him to change his decision. The two gentlemen in question were Dilip Kumar and Pran -- the two Bollywood icons who would not miss a match at the Cooperage if Goswami was playing. Eminent journalist late Pradeep Vijaykar had once chronicled how Goswami would enthrall the Brabourne Stadium crowd by juggling a cricket ball during breaks of that Ranji final. He took a match haul of eight wickets for combined zonal team against Gary Sobers' West Indies team during a tour match in 1967.During that match, Goswami back-pedalled 25 yards to take a catch that earned plaudits from Sobers, who termed it as exceptional from a cricketer from sub-continent. "Sobers didn't know I was an international footballer. Back-pedalling 25 yards is no big deal," Goswami would jokingly tell friends. He never coached at the club or country level even though he was late Russi Modi's first choice to become director of Indian football's biggest nursery -- the Tata Academy (TFA).He became Sheriff of Kolkata, wrote insightful columns on Indian football for a vernacular daily, enjoyed his veterans tennis at the South Club and loved his scotch. He was in a league of his own -- peerless -- and lived a life that will always be celebrated for being one of India's greatest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Cliff Posted May 1, 2020 Share Posted May 1, 2020 Om Shanti. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollum Posted May 1, 2020 Author Share Posted May 1, 2020 https://twitter.com/IndianfootballH/status/1256143948873162753 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollum Posted May 1, 2020 Author Share Posted May 1, 2020 Troika in later years, the one in centre Tulsidas Balaram is still alive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranvir Posted May 1, 2020 Share Posted May 1, 2020 Look at where Japan and South Korea are now in football, light years ahead of India. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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