Former Test cricketer Ashok Mankad passes away

MUMBAI: Former Test player AshokMankad, who died in his sleep at his Worli residence in Mumbai on Friday, wasamong those Indian cricketers whose performance at the highest level of the gamenever matched his early promise for various reasons. (Watch)Sonof one of India's greatest-ever all-rounders Vinoo, the right-handed batsman,who became one among many of India's converted openers to suit the team's needs,could make only 991 runs in 42 innings spread over 22 Tests (average 25.41).The Mumbai-born (October 12, 1946) Mankad's knock of 97 at Delhiagainst Australia in 1969, that helped India win it and level the four-matchseries 1-1, was his best in his almost decade-long international career thatstarted in 1969 at Mumbai against New Zealand and ended at Sydney in 1978against Australia. Mankad (61), who put on a record 146 runs withhis captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi for the fourth wicket when making 74 againstBill Lawry's strong Australian team in only his third Test struck a purple patchin the series after being promoted as a opener in the same rubber.Mankad, whose wife Nirupama was an oft-crowned national tennischampion in the 1960s and 1970s, lit up the Mumbai cricket landscape with twotriple and one double century in the famous Harris Shield tournament for seniorschoolboys. The Mumbai-born cricketer, whose sons Mihir and Harshtook up their mothers' passion tennis instead of the willow game, continued hisphenomenal rise at the university level in the Rohinton Baria All Indiatournament too to catch the attention of the national selection committee headedby Vijay Merchant.