Calcutta, Feb. 10 :
Calcutta, Feb. 10:
Pankaj Roy may have left for his heavenly abode last Sunday but his legacy remains. Speakers at the condolence meeting, organised by the CAB today, expressed just that.
Roy was remembered through various incidents and memories narrated by those who knew him personally or otherwise.
Premangshu Chatterjee, who has played under him for 12 years in the Ranji Trophy said, 'He was a wonderful capatin and it's a different matter that he never got the recognition he deserved. I remember he would notice weaknesses of batsmen and point it out to his bowlers, always trying to help.'
CAB president Jagmohan Dalmiya pointed out that statistics never show the cricketer's right potential. 'Pankajda's average at the end of his career was 32.56, but we all know that he was a greater player than that. In fact he would have scored a double century during his record stand with Vinoo Mankad against New Zealand, only that he had received a chit from the dressing room asking him to hit out,' he said.
Former Bengal captain Raju Mukherjee mentioned an instance when four top West Indian bowlers had named Roy as the best Indian batsman they had played against.
Roy Gilchrist, Lester King, Chester Watson and Charlie Stayors, had come to the country to give fast bowling practice to the Indians. They were thereafter requested to stay back and represent four different zones with King playing for Bengal.
Among others to attend the meeting were Biswanath Dutta, Chandi Ganguly, Sambaran Banerjee, Gurbux Singh, Prakash Poddar, Palash Nandy, Barun Barman and Devang Gandhi.