HE WAS the undoubted master of whatever he surveyed, the legendary Bob Simpson of Australia. His legend travelled so far and wide when he was at the peak of his great cricketing career that one letter from a fan from a Caribbean Isle with address just ‘Bobby Simpson’, reached him in Australia -- as the lore has it. That was ‘Boss’ Simpson, one and the only of his kind in those years.

 

He is no more, having breathed his last at 89, thus leaving fore the cricketing circles the world over his memory from which will keep emerging anecdotes of his excellence, his genius, his immense self-faith, his leadership capabilities -- and overall his ability to keep smiling even in the face of worst challenges that would otherwise drain out the vitality and vibrance of most others. By today’s standard, when abundance of cricket has changed the statistics altogether, Bob Simpson’s career as a player was short -- just 62 Tests, out of which he captained the Australian national side in 39 outings. He did play two one-day games, all right, but that was towards the end of his playing career. Yet, even in that small span, Bobby scored as many as 10 centuries, 27 half-centuries, and many match-altering stands that wove his legend to a phenomenal stature -- altogether amassing 4869 runs.

 

It is important for us today to note that the value of the stats in those times was possibly bigger than the value of bigger numbers in today’s cricket. ‘Boss’ Simpson, however, was not just a batsman who also was a useful bowler -- which he proved by taking 71 wickets. But more than all that, he was one of the best leaders of men. Understanding the intricacies of human psyche was his speciality, and he conducted himself as per that nuanced comprehension of how fellow humans behaved in different situations. When he was just a player, he became an extra-constitutional power centre in the Australian team because of his ability to connect closely with his fellow-players. But this side also had a glorious shade which no one could ignore -- Bobby Simpson had a tremendous sense of restraint in not stepping on the toes of the captain.

 

He often said to his mates, in effect, ‘Look, I am only assisting him (the Captain)’. That classicism, that professionalism of the highest order became Bobby’s signature, and that fame stayed with him all through. That also made all the difference when he prepared the Australians to take on the mighty West Indies and beat them after a 17-year gap. If the Calypso boys feared any one or cared for anybody in Australian cricket, it was Bobby Simpson. Such was the merit and substance that went with the name. Even today, serious followers of art of leadership in cricket often cast a detailed look at how Bobby Simpson conducted himself in different and difficult situations. His passing away has brought up all these fine memories of the man who added a golden chapter to world cricket.