S. Venkatraghavan

Calcutta: The cricket fraternity in Chennai is mourning the passing away of Jawad ‘Joe’ Hussain, former England captain Nasser’s father. One of those who remembers him with much affection is former India captain Srinivas Venkatraghavan.

“Jawad was a very jovial character... Very nice to have in your dressing room... News of his death has saddened me,” Venkat, who is one of the Match Referees in the ongoing Indian Premier League, told The Telegraph.

Venkat, in fact, pointed out that he’d been in the XI when Jawad made his solitary Ranji appearance for Madras (now Tamil Nadu), against Andhra, in 1964-65.

The match, won by Madras, was played in Coimbatore and Jawad scored 17 in the only innings that he batted.

“We also played league cricket together for the Madras Cricket Club... Jawad was a middle-order batsman... As I’ve said, it was very nice having him around,” Venkat added.

Venkat last met Jawad during a Test in England when he was doing duty as an ICC panel umpire. Venkat, incidentally, has also served on the world body’s panel of Match Referees.

Indeed, Venkat has the distinction of having captained and officiated as a Match Referee and an umpire at Lord’s.