The article first appeared in the Scroll on March 28, 2024
As he prepared to face the bowling of Australia captain Ray Lindwall in the second India-Australia Test at Bombay’s Brabourne Stadium, batting great Vinoo Mankad must have felt immense pressure. On that late October 1956 morning, when the stadium off Marine Drive was packed to capacity, there was a distinguished audience member with a fascination for the sport watching the action with binoculars from the VIP area – the 64-year-old emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie.