Men of Steel

In the game of cricket, a team needs good openers for a solid start but it’s the middle-order mainstays who play the role of the fulcrum in an innings. Stability, solidity and perseverance are the keys to success for these men of steel as they play the role of a sheet-anchor while building an inning. In the 1930s and 40s, India's middle order was shored up by Vijay Hazare. The next few decades belonged to Vijay Manjrekar. Followed by Dilip Vengsarkar, Ravi Shastri and Sanjay Manjrekar before the country got the Great Wall of Indian cricket- Rahul Dravid. In their respective halcyon days, these cricketers not only served to bind Indian batting together but were also architects of some of India’s best batting displays. This episode rewinds to those great batting stalwarts who helped the country win many battles on the cricket field.