LUCKNOW: Be it sea or 22-yard pitch of gentleman's game cricket, the Indian Navy have always shown their skills to dominate on their opponents, with whatever available resource they have. Some 28-years ago, the crew of INS Gomati and INS Khukri with their skills avenged Indian cricket team losses in South Africa's Durban and Cape Town.
After South Africa (SA) abolished apartheid, their navy went on to purchase spear for frigates and corvette. Responding to their needs, the Indian Navy in 1994 sent the world's most advanced frigate of that time INS Gomati and highly decorated corvette INS Khukri.
The Indian Navy was the second navy to reach South Africa after the Germans. During their stay at Durban and Cape Town, the South African navy consisting of blonde-white officers invited the brown men in uniform for a friendly 20 overs cricket match and lost both.
Recalling the matches, retired commodore G Prakash who served on INS Gomati for two-years period, said, “There is a tradition among all the navies in the world to engage in friendly sports and game activities when one navy visits others home base. So, as a part of tradition, at Durban, the South African navy asked to join for a friendly cricket match. Interestingly, prior to the cricket match the South African navy crew, which primarily consisted of white men, pointed out in satirical manner that the Indian cricket team lost two series when they toured South Africa (1992-93).”
The comment came after South Africa rejected Indian government proposals for frigates and corvette.
“So we decided to avenge the Indian team loss and formed a team from the crew of INS Gomati and INS Khukri. I don’t recall the exact score, but our team's win over the South African naval team hurt the ‘gora’ men. So, they again called for another match. Normally, a game is not repeated in naval tradition, but we agreed and played another match at Simon’s bay in Cape Town. This time, the South African naval team brought their best cricket players in service---but our team defeated them, too. At the end, the entire tour ended on a happy note,” said Prakash who hails from Cochin.
“The confidence to dominate an opponent was natural for us as INS Gomati was the most advanced frigate of that time in the world,” he added.
