‘In my initial years he was very helpful’: Former players Borde, Salgaonkar remember Chetan Chauhan

Former India player Chandu Borde and ex-Maharashtra pacer Pandurang Salgaonkar paid rich tribute to Chetan Chauhan, remembering him as an “energetic and a helpful” teammate when he represented Maharashtra in his playing days.

Chauhan, one of Indian cricket’s most well-known batsmen without an international hundred, died on Sunday due to COVID-19 related complications after being put on life support for nearly 36 hours.

Chauhan studied in Pune and also played for Maharashtra under Borde.

“When he played for Maharashtra, he was one person, who had positive outlook for cricket,” Borde, who was also a former selector and cricket manager, told PTI.

“He was full of confidence and he was very hardworking. Not only that he was a gutsy player. I personally feel he was an asset to the team - both India and Maharashtra.”He was all the very positive and that was good for the team. He also used to encourage everybody and there was a confidence in his talk,” he added.

Salgaonkar, who is also a noted curator, said Chauhan helped him in his initial days.

“I have played with Chauhan for Maharashtra and in my initial years he was very helpful to me. Because of Chetan, there was encouragmemt for younger players,” the 70-year-old said.

“He was an opening batsman and I was an opening bowler and we had a good tuning. He used to like to play me (in the nets), that is one of the thing. He was very helpful to everybody.

“When I came into the team, there was an uncomfortable feeling and he was the one, who helped me tide over it,” recalled Salgaonkar.

Chauhan, who was 73, was serving as the Minister of Sainik Welfare, Home Guards, and Civil Security in the Uttar Pradesh cabinet.