That Kishore Kumar was one of the greatest singers ever produced by India is a known fact, and modern-day cricketers from Virender Sehwag to Mansi Joshi and even Sunil Gavaskar have all remained infatuated with the voice which has mesmerised millions for years. (IND vs SL LIVE) | (ENG vs SA LIVE)
On Friday, on the occasion of Kishore Kumar’s 88th birth anniversary, it was none other than Sehwag who took to Twitter to remember his ‘hidden batting partner’.
After all, on his way to a record double century — first of his career in ODIs and second overall after Sachin Tendulkar — Virender Sehwag’s batting partner Suresh Raina had revealed that he was humming a Kishore Kumar song as he demolished the West Indies bowling attack at Indore to score a flamboyant 219.
{{/usCountry}}After all, on his way to a record double century — first of his career in ODIs and second overall after Sachin Tendulkar — Virender Sehwag’s batting partner Suresh Raina had revealed that he was humming a Kishore Kumar song as he demolished the West Indies bowling attack at Indore to score a flamboyant 219.
{{/usCountry}}“He was playing very well with no tension. That day, he was singing some Kishore Kumar songs. He was not feeling any kind of tension,” Raina said at an ‘India Today Youth Summit’.
Virender Sehwag was back to singing and batting at the same time sometime after his retirement, as he was heard singing ‘Chalaa Jaata Hoon’ while playing for Sachin Tendulkar’s Master Blasters in the All-Star Cricket league held in US a couple of years ago.
India Women’s bowler Mansi is also among the Indian cricketers who are Kishore Kumar fans. “Aate Jaate Khoobsurat Awaara sarko pein, kabhi kabhi ittefaq se…” from the Rajesh Khanna-starrer ‘Anurodh’ was her mobile tune, as reported by Hindustan Times.
Former captain and legendary batsman Sunil Gavaskar is also among the Kishore Kumar fan fraternity in Indian cricket.
Cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar launched an album in October 2016 containing six Rabindra Sangeet numbers, only after he was inspired by Kishore Kumar’s rendering of the same.
“I have always had an attraction for Bengali songs. I used to worship Kishore Kumar. I have heard a lot of his Hindi songs. Later on, was amazed to hear his Bengali songs,” Manjrekar said.