Hyderabad, March 19 -- There is a well-known saying in cricket-Catches win Matches. One of the players who had proved that this adage was perfectly correct was India's fielding legend, Eknath Solkar. He was an Indian version of Jonty Rhodes who entered the scene many years after Solkar. India's most legendary catcher transformed fielding - which was considered by many to be a boring task - into a sublime form of art.

Unfortunately, Solkar died at a relatively early age of 57 due to a heart attack. Had he been alive, he would have been 77 years old today. He was born on 18th March 1948.

Although he was a good batsman and could also bowl seam or spin as required, it was as a specialist close-in fielder that he made his greatest contributi...