Syed Kirmani

Kirmani was the quietly efficient worker ant who replaced the flamboyant Farokh Engineer behind the stumps for India, and went on to become their greatest wicketkeeper. His 12-year stint at the top saw a sea-change in the way India played. The early part of Kirmani's career was spent keeping wicket to the famed spin quartet, never the easiest of tasks. After they faded away, he had to step back a few paces to deal with a seam attack spearheaded by Kapil Dev. It is testament to Kirmani's greatness as a keeper that he was able to perform both roles with distinction. A doughty batsman down the order, he scored two Test hundreds and baled India out on several occasions. He played a crucial role in India's triumph in the 1983 World Cup, contributing a flourish or two with the bat in addition to being immaculate behind the stumps.
Dileep Premachandran