Calcutta: Back in 1982-83, there was a phase when the world feared the quicks, but the quicks themselves feared Mohinder ‘Jimmy’ Amarnath!

Such was the impact he had that season.

Mohinder’s Test debut was in late 1969, but his next India appearance was years later, quite like what Sourav Ganguly went through — the difference being that the latter’s debut had been in an ODI.

Come Sunday and Mohinder will be honoured, by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), with the C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award. It will be a special moment, for his late father, Lala, had been the first recipient — in 1994.

The Mumbai-based Mohinder, who played 69 Tests and 85 ODIs in a career which spanned two months short of 20 years, spoke to The Telegraph on the eve of receiving the truly coveted Award.

The following are excerpts

Q What were your emotions when you learnt that you’d been selected for the Award?

A Felt nice, but I didn’t get emotional about it... The call came from the BCCI secretary (N.Srinivasan)... I thanked him.

You’re 59. Does this Award make you feel older?

(Laughs) Why should it? Look, I didn’t play for awards... In fact, I didn’t play for anything in return... I’d try and make the most of every opportunity. That, indeed, was my approach.

Your father, Lalaji (India’s first centurion in Tests), was the Award’s No.1 recipient...

He was the right candidate... Dad made his debut under Nayudu and he’d often talk about him... Speak of his discipline, the knowledge he had about cricket... His high standards...

Was the Amarnath name an advantage or a disadvantage?

Probably more of a disadvantage, at times... I had to keep performing... The rules were different for the Amarnaths... However, I hold no grudges... Today, when I look back on my career, I’d say I enjoyed every minute of being in the India dressing room.

You’ve mentioned rules were different... Did you figure out why?

Well, there were players who got many more opportunities... I guess it was easy to drop an Amarnath... I’m not bitter, but players with lesser talent definitely got more opportunities.

Knowing that, what did you do?

Injustice makes one work harder... I put in more work.

Till Navjyot Sidhu came along, you were labelled the Comeback Man of Indian cricket...

At times, that label hurt... The good thing is that I never gave up and Dad would be there to help me... It would be up to me to prove others wrong and I’d give it my best shot.

Being in and out must have been tough on the mind...

There are moments in life when you get that inner strength... Moreover, I would take it one match at a time, not look too far ahead... Try to be consistent.

You’re not bitter, but who would you blame for getting a raw deal more than once?

So much time has passed... I’m not one to sit back and lament... I’d rather forgive and forget... I never expected anything in return and, today, am content with whatever I’m doing.

Do you regret having called the selectors a “bunch of jokers,” in late 1988?

No. I said the right thing.

But that strained your relations with the then chief selector, Raj Singh Dungarpur...

Didn’t bother me. (After a pause) I never bothered about what others would feel... As I’ve told you, I don’t regret that comment.

You were absolutely brilliant on the 1982-83 tours of Pakistan and the West Indies (1,182 runs in 11 Tests, 5x100)...

I’d say every tour was a high point in my career... I performed better overseas... When the going is good, one has to make the most of that run... Frankly, I’d treat every tour as being possibly my last and that helped raise my game.

Imran Khan in Pakistan, Michael Holding and the other quicks in the West Indies... What’s the best way to handle that breed?

(Laughs) To stay at the non-striker’s end!

No, but seriously...

Well, you’ve got to be positive, that’s the first thing... Then, you’ve got to read the mind of the bowler and have a game plan of your own... The game plan may have to be changed and you’ve got to be ready for that challenge.

You had a great World Cup, as well, in 1983... In fact, you’ll always be remembered for being the first to bag the MoM awards both in the semi-final and final. Your take?

To repeat what I’ve said, I never played for awards... The team came first and I’m happy my performances helped in crucial matches. Nobody is bigger than his team and the sport itself.

Later that year, you had a miserable run, at home, against the West Indies... You totalled one in six Test innings. What happened?

Failure is part and parcel of sport... I wouldn’t say that the expectations-driven pressure got to me... We had a fairly long break after the World Cup and the momentum broke... I mean, I had to start all over again and, against the top teams, it’s important to get runs early on. I didn’t... Of course, it was disappointing, but I accepted the reality.

Who did you turn to for help?

Dad was my guru, my inspiration... I turned to him... I made a few adjustments and got back to scoring... I’d listen to others, too... I wasn’t at all wary of trying out things.

You played under a number of captains. Who stood out?

It’s difficult to compare...

Being diplomatic, aren’t you?

No, no... I’ve never been diplomatic... It actually is difficult to compare... But if I’ve got to pick one, I’d go for Bishan Bedi... It was under him that I enjoyed playing the most... Bishan knew how to get the best out of every player.

The only time that you got to captain India (Sialkot ODI, October 31, 1984), the match got abandoned. Weren’t you upset that the selectors, strangely, never really looked at you as captaincy material?

Captaincy would’ve been challenging, but it didn’t come my way... I would’ve liked to lead from the front, but didn’t get to... Wasn’t much bothered then, not bothered now.

Your thoughts on the present captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni...

Any captain is as good as his team... That truism holds true... If he has match-winners, then the team will have a high percentage of wins... Dhoni’s good, he stays calm and his moves work... He’s positive, which helps... The true test of a captain is Test cricket, not the limited overs stuff... We’ve got a good team, but the fielding needs to improve.

Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav sought your help to play the hook and pull shots, but the BCCI hasn’t thought it fit to use your services...

It has been their decision... I’m not the type to go and ask for something... But, yes, I’m around if somebody wants help.

You featured in unusual dismissals — for handling the ball (the first in ODIs, incidentally) and for obstructing the field (again, in an ODI). Why?

(Laughs) Thought I should experience everything in life!

Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Sachin...Who would you say has been India’s greatest?

I can’t get into this, for the simple reason that all three never played together... Gavaskar’s debut was at the start of the Seventies, Kapil’s in 1978 and Sachin in the late 1980s... For me, though, Sir Donald Bradman has been the greatest.

How should greatness be measured?

Would depend on how long one has played and how the player in question has performed in difficult circumstances... The questions to be asked are: How many matches have been won because of the effort put in by that one player and how has he been handling pressure... (After a pause) I quite admired Brian Lara.

Over the years, how has Indian cricket grown?

It’s not that we didn’t have great players before (Mansur Ali Khan) ‘Tiger’ Pataudi took centre stage, in the mid-Sixties, but they didn’t get enough opportunities... Pataudi changed our mindset... After that, the 1983 World Cup win had a profound impact... The live telecast of matches, too...

Your debut (against Australia, 1969-70) was under Pataudi...

That’s the only Test I played under him... Pataudi used to be very positive and had such a presence... His approach rubbed off on the team and it was under him that Indian cricket began to really go forward.

For all the millions it has been raking in, hasn’t the BCCI been neglecting domestic cricket? The stars hardly play and, this season, the Deodhar Trophy got scrapped. Aren’t you disappointed?

You’ve got to look 10 years ahead, not look to tomorrow or the day after only... From what I’ve seen, the talent has been coming from within players, not through the system as such... Much needs to be done at the grassroots level and the deserving alone must be there in all positions... We tend to forget people who work behind the scenes, but they do play an important role.

Shouldn’t something be done about the wickets?

Absolutely... Sporting wickets must be prepared at every level, beginning with what is on offer in club matches. We need people with a vision, people with passion.

Why is it that the 1983 World Cup win remains our biggest achievement on the global stage? Why not anything as big after that?

You need to have the right combination and sure need a bit of luck... We came close to winning the 2003 World Cup... You may have 11 match-winners, but even that won’t help if they don’t click in the big moments... You need players with the ability to handle pressure.

Does the India cap come too easy?

(Laughs) Has been happening for years... That’s the sad thing about Indian cricket... If you have the same rules for all 15-16, then you won’t go wrong.

Is T20 going to finish the other forms?

No... T20 is entertainment and should be seen that way... I can’t understand why people say it will kill the 50-over game, for T20 is only for the top-order batsmen, not 11 players...

Test cricket?

Will stay, but I’d suggest that it be taken to the smaller centres, to attract crowds... I would like to see some day-night Tests, as that would increase interest. The wickets must, of course, be result-oriented... What’s the point of teams scoring 600-700 runs, if a decisive result can’t be achieved? Have wickets which will have something for everybody.

The last one: Your message for the emerging players?

Don’t play for awards... Never be satisfied... If you’ve been doing well, don’t look back, live for today... Be consistent... That, I suppose, should suffice for now.