Jimmy Cook, the man who walked with history

Bengaluru, January 1: In four days' time, India will take on South Africa in a much-anticipated Test series, beginning with the first match in Cape Town, Newlands on January 5.

The cricketing history between India and South Africa have a late beginning - as recently as 1991, but the two nations have already given us some brilliant moments on the field.

Here Mykhel caught up with Jimmy Cook, the former South African opener who played in the first-ever home and away series against India, and his memories are still vivid a little over 25 years.

"I remember every detail - the arrival in India and the travel from airport to team hotel in a bus. But I will never forget the moment I walked out at the Eden Gardens in Calcutta (Kolkata). It was unlike anything that I had experienced in my career. The crowd's roar was unbelievable and my opening partner Andrew Hudson was trembling. He was so nervous and I thought he stood no chance in that match.

"It happened just like that. He got out in the third ball he faced against Kapil Dev. Hudson still says he can't forget that day, the moment and the noise.

"I too had faced my first ball against Kapil and it was nervous moment. Though I had played in the rebel tour and a good amount of senior cricket, playing your first international match was quite different."

It was also the match when the cricketing world saw the abilities of Allan Donald in an international match.

"Allan had a fantastic spell in that match - five wickets. He had reduced India to 30-odd for three but we had a put up a small total (177) and in the end it proved a bit too small to defend.

Another piece of memory was the Sachin Tendulkar sighting.

"But we had our first glimpse of Sachin Tendulkar in that match and he made a match-winning fifty. We had heard about him before coming to India and we thought: "Come on! How good a 17-year-old boy could get?" But he played a very good innings - a very special batsman. Donald was pretty impressed," said Cook.

When India visited South Africa in 1992, Cook became part of history - not so pleasant one this time - when he was dismissed in the first ball of the series.

"It was a really good ball from Kapil, moved a bit away from me and I had to play it. The edge went to Tendulkar at slips, he dived forward and caught the ball. But I was convinced that the ball bounced but this is not to say that Tendulkar did it deliberately, perhaps he was not sure about it.

The umpire Steve Bucknor could not make a decision and asked square leg umpire Cyril Mitchely for his opinion. To my surprise Mitchely ruled me out. That's the way it goes some times I guess," he added.

"But it was an eventful series - third umpire was introduced, Kapil 'Mankaded' Peter Kirsten. There was a lot happening. I am sure this series too will be a fascinating one," he signed off.