Mohiuddin, a man who fought a few battles for Green Park

When ever there is a Ranji Trophy match at the Green Park, you can bet even your last money that Ghulam Mohiuddin will be at the ground to watch the action. At 76, he still retains an enthusiasm for the game that you expect only from an youngster. The Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) life member is not only an ardent follower of the game but also an able administrator. Mohiuddin went with the UP team as the administrative manager to Indore last week where they registered a miraculous come-from-behind win after conceding a 116-run lead to Madhya Pradesh. He is also the secretary of the Cawnpore Sports Club, a club started by the Britishers at the Green Park stadium way back in 1889. Such is his passion for the sport that once in London, he asked his friend to take him to The Lords first. Only after seeing the 'Mecca of Cricket' he went around and saw London.The tall gentleman, who runs a leather business in the city, owes his name and fame to cricket. “It has given me everything. Even a lot of my friends.” And one of them was the redoubtable late Raj Singh Dungarpur, the former Board president. That friendship started whenMohiuddin was the manager of the Central Zone team that won the Duleep Trophy for the first time defeating South Zone at the Central College ground, Bangalore, in 1971. That bonhomie grew, and once in Mumbai, Raj Singh rang up his friend Lata Mangeshkar and made Mohiuddin talk with her. After mumbling a few lines of praises to the legendary singer, Mohiuddin gave the phone back to Raj Singh. He later joking lambasted his friend saying that he made him face a bouncer without a bat, gloves and pads.Then in 1984, when Raj Singh was the manager of the Indian cricket team touring Pakistan, Mohiuddin was also there in personal capacity. Unfortunately, the tour was cut short due to the tragic assassination of Indira Gandhi.He was also in the forefront in 1974-75 when the Board took off Green Park as a permanent Test Centre and alloted a Test at Bangalore during the Clive Lloyd led West Indies side. He along with JN Trivedi, Sukhmohan Singh and PN Tewari went to Chandigarh and threatened to go on a hunger strn ike at the BCCI meeting there. Finally BCCI relented, and that time president MA Chidambaram granted back the status to Green Park. A similar story evolved when during the Pakistan team's tour of India in 1979-80. That time, after being given a Test match, the state government wasn't in the mood to allow the match at Green Park. That time also Mohiuddin, along with Sumer Agarwal, Sukhmohan Singh, Baboo Khan and others gheroed the then chief minister Banarsi Das. All were arrested and kept behind the bars for more than 18 hours. But, the good thing was that the government relented and the Asif Iqbal led side played the Test against India at Green Park