Indian Cricketers
(b. 22 January 1948)
| Name of Calypsonian | Lord Relator |
|---|---|
| Real Name | Willard C. Harris |
| Album Title | (Standalone single) |
| Release Year | 1972 |
| Record Label | Tropico |
Music video of Indian Cricketers by Lord Relator.
Calypso Lyrics
| Lord Relator |
| A lovely day for cricket Blue skies and gentle breeze The Indians are awaiting now To play the West Indies A signal from the umpire The match is going to start The cricketers come on the field They all look very smart |
| Erapalli Prasanna Jeejeebhoy and Wadekar Krishnamurthy and Vishnu Mankad [1] Them boys could real play cricket On any kinda wicket They make the West Indies team look so bad We was in all kinda trouble Joey Carew pull a muscle Clive Lloyd get ’bout three run out We was in trouble without a doubt |
| It was Gavaskar De real master Just like a wall We couldn’t out Gavaskar at all, not at all You know the West Indies couldn’t out Gavaskar at all |
| Ven-kat-a-ra-ghavan Bedi, in a turban Vijay Jaisimha [2], Jayantilal They helped to win the series Against the West Indies At Sabina Park and Queen’s Park Oval A hundred and fifty-eight by Kanhai Really sent our hopes up high Noriega nine for ninety-five The Indian team they still survive |
| It was Gavaskar De real master Just like a wall We couldn’t out Gavaskar at all, not at all You know the West Indies couldn’t out Gavaskar at all |
| Govindraj and Durani Solkar, Abid Ali Dilip Sardesai and Viswanath They make West Indies bowlers Look like second raters When those fellas came out here to bat West Indies tried Holder and Keith Boyce They had no other choice They even try with Uton Dowe But ah sure that they sorry they bring him now |
| It was Gavaskar De real master Just like a wall We couldn’t out Gavaskar at all, not at all You know the West Indies couldn’t out Gavaskar at all |
| Little Desmond Lewis Also, Charlie Davis Dey take a little shame from out we face But Sobers as a captain He want plenty coachin’ Before we cricket end up in a disgrace Bedi hear that he became a father So he catch out Holford in the covers But when Sobers hear he too had a son He make duck and went back in the pavilion |
| It was Gavaskar De real master Just like a wall We couldn’t out Gavaskar at all, not at all You know the West Indies couldn’t out Gavaskar at all You know the West Indies couldn’t out Gavaskar at all You know the West Indies couldn’t out Gavaskar at all |
| Lord Relator |
| A lovely day for cricket Blue skies and gentle breeze The Indians are awaiting now To play the West Indies A signal from the umpire The match is going to start The cricketers come on the field They all look very smart |
| Erapalli Prasanna Jeejeebhoy and Wadekar Krishnamurthy and Vishnu Mankad [1] Those boys could real play cricket On any kind of wicket They made the West Indies team look so bad We were in all kinds of trouble Joey Carew pulled a muscle Clive Lloyd got about three runouts We were in trouble without a doubt |
| It was Gavaskar The real master Just like a wall We couldn’t out Gavaskar at all, not at all You know the West Indies couldn’t out Gavaskar at all |
| Ven-kat-a-ra-ghavan Bedi, in a turban Vijay Jaisimha [2], Jayantilal They helped to win the series Against the West Indies At Sabina Park and Queen’s Park Oval A hundred and fifty-eight by Kanhai Really sent our hopes up high Noreiga nine for ninety-five The Indian team they still survived |
| It was Gavaskar The real master Just like a wall We couldn’t out Gavaskar at all, not at all You know the West Indies couldn’t out Gavaskar at all |
| Govindraj and Durani Solkar, Abid Ali Dilip Sardesai and Viswanath They made the West Indies bowlers Look like second raters When those fellows came out here to bat West Indies tried Holder and Keith Boyce They had no other choice They even tried with Uton Dowe But I’m sure that they are sorry they brought him now |
| It was Gavaskar The real master Just like a wall We couldn’t out Gavaskar at all, not at all You know the West Indies couldn’t out Gavaskar at all |
| Little Desmond Lewis Also, Charlie Davis They took a little shame from our face But Sobers as a captain He needs plenty coaching Before our cricket ends up in a disgrace Bedi heard that he became a father So, he caught out Holford in the covers But when Sobers heard that he too had a son He made a duck and went back in the pavilion |
| It was Gavaskar The real master Just like a wall We couldn’t out Gavaskar at all, not at all You know the West Indies couldn’t out Gavaskar at all You know the West Indies couldn’t out Gavaskar at all You know the West Indies couldn’t out Gavaskar at all |
Notes on the Lyrics
There are minor errors in the names of two Indian cricketers mentioned in the calypso:
[1] Actual name: Ashok Mankad; he was the son of Vinoo Mankad.
[2] Actual name: Motganhalli Laxminarsu (ML) Jaisimha.
About The Calypso
“Indian Cricketers,” more commonly known as the “Gavaskar Calypso,” was written and performed by Lord Relator in 1972. The song commemorates India’s groundbreaking 1971 Test series victory over the West Indies, which was India’s first-ever Test series win in the Caribbean.
The calypso’s central figure is Sunil Gavaskar, the young Indian opening batsman whose exceptional performances during the 1971 West Indies tour inspired one of calypso’s most memorable tributes to a cricketer with its famous chorus, “It was Gavaskar, de real master, just like a wall…”
Like many great cricket calypsos, the calypso blends sport, storytelling, humour, and musical creativity. It captures the excitement and drama of a memorable cricket series while making the players seem larger than life.
One of the calypso’s most impressive features is the way Lord Relator works the names of Indian cricketers into his rhymes and verses. Players such as Bishan Singh Bedi, Erapalli Prasanna, Srinivas Venkataraghavan, Ajit Wadekar, Dilip Sardesai, Gundappa Viswanath, Abid Ali, and others are all celebrated in the calypso.
Beyond celebrating the Indian test series victory, the calypso reflects Trinidad and Tobago’s deep cricket culture. It portrays cricket as a source of excitement, pride, and friendly rivalry, themes that have long been central to Caribbean life.
Among cricket fans and calypso enthusiasts, “Indian Cricketers” is frequently regarded as a masterpiece of the cricket-calypso genre because of its lyrical craftsmanship, memorable melody, and vivid retelling of an important sporting moment.
Trivia
Although the official title of the calypso is “Indian Cricketers,” the calypso became so closely associated with Sunil Gavaskar that many people simply refer to it as the “Gavaskar Calypso.”
The line, “It was Gavaskar, the real master, just like a wall…”, is one of the most famous cricket-related lines ever sung in a calypso and remains instantly recognizable among cricket fans.
According to reports, Sunil Gavaskar first heard the calypso several years after it was written, despite already being famous throughout the Caribbean for his batting achievements.
Few calypsos have crossed cultural boundaries as successfully as “Indian Cricketers.” The calypso remains well known among cricket fans in India and is frequently shared whenever Gavaskar’s career is discussed.
Relator was a passionate cricket fan and attended many of the matches himself. Years later, he recalled that the lyrics came naturally because he had personally watched the series unfold and was deeply impressed by the Indian team’s performances. His biggest challenge was remembering and rhyming the many Indian surnames.
India’s 1971 victory over the West Indies is widely regarded as a turning point in Indian cricket history. The calypso became an enduring musical record of that achievement.
The Caribbean has produced many calypsos about cricket, but few have endured as long as “Indian Cricketers.” Its popularity demonstrates how calypso serves as a musical record of important moments in West Indian sporting history.
Most sports songs celebrate home victories, but “Indian Cricketers” is unusual because a Trinidadian calypsonian chose to honour the achievements of a visiting team. The admiration shown by Lord Relator for the Indian players has helped make the song a symbol of cricketing respect and sportsmanship.
References
The image of Lord Relator was taken from the BestOfTrinidad website [1].
