A pall of gloom descended upon cricket lovers of the twin cities when news broke that one of the most widely respected and senior most cricket coaches of Hyderabad, Mirza Rahmatullah Baig had passed away last night.
Baig saab, as he was popularly called, was a father figure and guiding light for many cricketers of Hyderabad and India who gained name and fame due to his training methods. His friendly smile and charming manners will be missed by all those who knew him.
At various times, Baig had coached some of India’s most illustrious players like Kapil Dev, Md. Azharuddin, V V S Laxman, Venkatapathy Raju, Rahul Dravid, Sanjay Manjrekar and many others. Baig was a believer in the old school of cricket and adhered to old values. “Work hard, maintain discipline and develop your talent to its full potential,” he used to tell his students.
It is a mystery why his services were not better utilised by the HCA or the BCCI. Perhaps because he did not believe in bowing before the bigwigs who ran the sport. He lived by his own principles and never played politics.
Condolence messages poured in from far and wide. All the way from Australia, former Hyderabad cricketer Noel Bernard Carr wrote: “Saddened by the passing away of my first Coach Mr. Rahmatullah Baig Saab. A dedicated coach and a disciplinarian. A simple and down to earth human being. He taught us the finer points and various skills to enhance our performances. May Allah comfort his family during this difficult time. May your departed soul rest in eternal peace Sir.”
Jayanthi Jaisimha, wife of former Test cricketer M L Jaisimha referred to him as a national treasure and posted on social media: “Rahmat Baig, a coach with knowledge of every muscle, tendon and joint used in the game of cricket, has moved on to a better wicket. May his spirit continue to guide the activities of the M L Jaisimha Sports Foundation.”
Faiyaz Gazi Ali, head of the ECDG cricketers group, who was close to M R Baig’s family told Siasat.com that the coach’s father, the late Col. Mirza Bismillah Baig, was an army officer and a scholar of Islam.
Baig was born on 21st January 1940. He represented Hyderabad schools and South Zone schools and played first class cricket for more than a decade before becoming a coach. He graduated as a coach from the Netaji Subhash National Institute of Sports, served as BCCI coach for six years, was deputed to coach in the Maldives for four years, served the Sports Authority of India, Indian Navy, the AP Sports Council and upcoming players from schools, colleges and universities for many years. The impact he had on cricket cannot be measured. His departure will be sorely felt by everyone in cricket circles.
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