The Price of Obedience: Baqa Jilani, Vizzy, and a Dark Chapter in Indian Cricket

Cricket Tales (Famous Cricket Fights - Vizzy and Baqa Jilani vs CK Nayudu) - One of the most controversial figures in the history of Indian cricket is the Maharaja of Vizianagaram, popularly known as Vizzy. He holds the distinction of being India’s second-ever Test captain, yet his cricketing credentials have long been questioned. Many cricket historians regard him as one of the least deserving players to have represented India at the Test level. Despite this, he not only found a place in the national team but also captained India during the 1936 tour of England—replacing none other than India’s first and one of its finest captains, C.K. Nayudu.

Vizzy’s tenure is remembered less for cricketing merit and more for the controversies that marred it. His deep dislike for Lala Amarnath, one of India’s brightest talents, led to several unsavory incidents that tarnished the image of Indian cricket. However, one lesser-known tale stands out—not for open conflict, but for the curious absence of one. It is a story of a player who openly abused a senior teammate, yet instead of facing punishment, was rewarded. And all the while, Vizzy stayed in the shadows.

India Tour Of England 1936, 3rd Test, The Oval, August 15 - 18

England 471/8 (Wally Hammond 217, Stan Worthington 128, Mohammad Nissar 5-120) & 64/1(Charlie Barnett 32*)

India 222 (Vijay Merchant 52, Mushtaq Ali 52, Jim Sims 5-73, Hedley Verity 3-30) & 312 (CK Nayudu 81, Dilawar Hussain 54, Gubby Allen 7-80)

England won by 9 wickets

Context: This Test match began on August 15—exactly 11 years before India’s Independence. England, already leading the three-Test series, won comfortably by nine wickets. Throughout the three days of play, India never posed a serious challenge. The only consolation was that they managed to make England bat a second time.

India made two changes for this Test, bringing in debutant Baqa Jilani and Dilawar Hussain as wicketkeeper. Interestingly, India used a different wicketkeeper in each of the three Tests in the series.

So, who was Baqa Jilani, the debutant? He was a right-arm medium-fast bowler and a useful lower-order batsman. Selected for his bowling, he failed to take a wicket in the match, scoring 4* and 12. He is the central figure in this story, not for his cricketing achievements, but for the shocking circumstances of his selection. His debut was a reward for abusing C.K. Nayudu before the match—on the orders of captain Vizzy. Jilani never played another Test.

Even otherwise, the tour was not memorable for him on the cricketing front. He scored the only century (113) of his first-class career against Leicestershire and made 59* with match figures of 5–78 against Gloucestershire. However, he failed in nearly all of the other 10 matches he played.

Why did Vizzy, the captain, want a senior cricketer and former captain like C.K. Nayudu to be insulted? The answer lies in the backdrop against which India had begun playing Test cricket.

Even before the tour began, it was clear that many senior players, not just Lala Amarnath, held little respect for Vizzy. He cunningly managed to send Amarnath back home even before the Test series started. The team manager, Major Jack Brittain-Jones, was also aligned with Vizzy, and their objective was to have total control over the squad.

After failing to captain India in 1932, Vizzy had played his political cards well and, by 1936, managed to wrest the Test captaincy from C.K. Nayudu, who had led India in all four previous Tests. However, he couldn’t ensure Nayudu’s complete exclusion from the squad. The Maharaja was uncomfortable with Nayudu’s popularity—not only due to his gentle demeanor but also for his cricketing insight and on-field contributions. Vizzy went on to lead India in all three Tests of the tour and scored a total of just 33 runs, but his off-field actions severely damaged the morale of the team.

Mushtaq Ali, one of the team members, recalled in his book Cricket Delightful:

“It may not be possible today to apportion the respective parts played by the captain and the manager, but the job was successfully done with Nissar, Dilawar Hussain, Baqa Jilani Khan, and P.E. Palia fully with the captain and estranged from C.K. Nayudu. Costly and lucrative presents were lavishly distributed to favourites by the Maharajkumar, and this created further rifts in the team.”

It is also documented that Vizzy had promised his loyalists rewards like sightseeing and a trip to Paris at the end of the tour.

Baqa Jilani, a cricketer of modest ability and fortunate even to be part of the touring side, knew that his prospects depended on remaining loyal to the Maharaja. Vizzy devised a scheme, and Baqa was chosen to carry it out in this battle for royal supremacy. His reward: a Test cap—on the condition that he publicly insult and abuse C.K. Nayudu at the breakfast table in front of other players.

Seeing this as his best (and perhaps only) chance to play a Test for India, Baqa obeyed Vizzy’s command. He hurled abuse at C.K. Nayudu—one of India’s greatest cricketers—before his stunned teammates. Vizzy, true to his word, altered the playing XI, and Baqa made his debut.

What Happened After That?

Cricket historian Ramachandra Guha wrote in Wickets in the East:

“Shute was replaced by Baqa Jilani (a vastly inferior cricketer) for the Oval Test of 1936 only because Jilani had fulfilled his captain Vizzy’s desire by abusing C.K. Nayudu at the breakfast table.”

After returning from England, Baqa Jilani played only three more matches in his career. He fell seriously ill and developed an uncontrollable temper. Reports suggest that even during the tour, he was on medication and suffered from high blood pressure, insomnia, and somnambulism. He was also known to be epileptic.

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His end was tragic. He suffered an epileptic seizure, fell from the balcony of his residence, and died instantly. Several stories surround the circumstances of his death. Baqa Jilani died on July 2, 1941, at the age of 29 years and 347 days. He was the second Indian Test cricketer to die and remains the second-youngest Indian Test cricketer to have passed away