Mumbai, Apr 1 His friends fondly called him "Vivian Richards of Mumbai" due to his batting style, but Anil Gurav, one of the early disciples of late Dronacharya Award winner Ramakant Achrekar, never reached his full potential due to his choices and subsequent regrets.
Gurav, who was considered one of Achrekar's best students but never made it to the Mumbai side beyond playing club-level cricket, passed away in his residence in Nalasopara on Tuesday.
Gurav was a few years senior to legendary batsmen Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli at Shardashram Vidyamandir, and it is said that coach Achrekar would even have the two batsmen who went on to play for India watch him practice.
"Achrekar sir would make Sachin and others watch him practice," recalled Nadim Memon, a veteran Mumbai curator and council member of the Mumbai Cricket Association.
"He was one of Achrekar sir's favorite players," he added.
Despite his talent, Gurav never reached the senior level. He played at the U-16 and U-19 levels, while also representing Achrekar's Sassanian Cricket Club and Kamath Memorial.
"His friends called him 'Vivian Richards of Mumbai' not only because he had a square cut that looked similar, but he was also equally good on the leg side," Memon said.
It is also believed that Gurav gave his bat to Tendulkar during their school days, which Tendulkar later used to score his first century in competitive cricket.
It is said that Gurav's brother, Ajit, was involved in illegal activities, which led to the family facing trouble from the police. While Gurav's career never took off, he also developed a habit of drinking and drifted away from the game.
