All eyes are on the Men In Blue in this ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, which is being held in India.
India first lifted the World Cup in 1983, and one of the people who was an integral part of the victory was PR Man Singh, the team manager.
At that time, India didn’t have a coach. Singh was the only one who accompanied the team of 14 players to England for the tournament.
Popularly known as Maan Saab and Mr Cricket, the right-handed batsman and off break bowler played five first-class matches between 1965 and 1969.
He found his true calling as an administrator of the team rather than a player. His career started as the assistant team manager for India on its tour to Pakistan in 1978.
He was part of the selection committee that appointed Kapil Dev as the captain for the tournament.
The 1983 World Cup was Man Singh’s first fully-fledged assignment as a manager of the team. He allowed the players’ wives to travel with the cricketers and stay with them, something which was unthinkable then.
Man Singh also managed the team at the 1987 Cricket World Cup where India reached the semi-finals. He later served as the secretary of the Hyderabad Cricket Association.
He wrote a book called ‘Agony and Ecstasy,’ which has a lot of unheard stories related to the Indian team and other details about his travels and experience.
“My father took me to watch cricket when I was young, but I started playing seriously only when I got to college,” Man Singh had told Wisden India.