'Tera Room Number Kya Hai...': When Javed Miandad's Verbal Swing Met Dilip Doshi's Spin Wall
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Recalling the moment years later in an interview with fellow spinner Murali Kartik, Doshi said with fondness and clarity, "Javed had a street-fighting attitude"
Among the many stories that surround former left-arm spinner Dilip Doshi's career, one that has been told and retold involves Pakistan's legendary batsman Javed Miandad. The 1983 India-Pakistan Test series was intense, and it was during the Bangalore Test that Miandad, known for his on-field antics, delivered a now-famous line, 'Ae Dilip, tela loom number kya hai… Teleko wahi six maroonga. (Dilip what's your room number… I would hit you for a six there)."
It was classic Miandad – sharp-tongued, dramatic, and theatrical in his on-field mind games. But facing him was not a rattled rookie – it was Dilip Doshi, the unflinching left-arm orthodox spinner, who met Miandad's antics with seasoned calm and quiet steel. The two had faced off many times before, but this exchange became part of cricketing folklore, passed down over decades with embellishments and laughter.
Recalling the moment years later in an interview with fellow spinner Murali Kartik, Doshi said with fondness and clarity, 'Javed had a street-fighting attitude. He's one of the best batsmen I bowled to and a good friend off the field. But on the field, he transformed. He used to say things, not always directly to me, sometimes to the close-in fielders, to get under my skin."
'He tried everything that day," Doshi added, laughing, 'But he couldn't hit me. He struggled. Though he did make 98, it wasn't easy."
The rediscovery of this exchange comes in the wake of Dilip Doshi's passing in London earlier this week due to a heart attack. He was 77. A veteran of 33 Tests and 15 One Day Internationals, Doshi is survived by his wife Kalindi and son Nayan. A late entrant into international cricket, Doshi made his Test debut in 1979 at the age of 30—an age when many cricketers begin contemplating retirement. Yet, he swiftly made up for lost time.
Doshi played 33 Tests and 15 ODIs for India, claiming 114 and 22 wickets respectively. On debut against Australia, he took 6 for 103, marking himself as a bowler of serious pedigree. In the same series, he delivered a match-winning 8 for 103, helping India seal an innings victory.
Earlier this month, he was seen attending the BCCI Awards and the World Test Championship final at Lord's, his enduring connection with the game never in question.
Before his India call-up, Doshi was already well-known on the English county circuit, having turned out for Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire. In India, he represented Saurashtra and Bengal, racking up 898 wickets in 238 first-class matches. His county success, paradoxically, delayed his India debut, with selectors often hesitant to back overseas performers for national duty.
Despite this, Doshi broke through, becoming one of just a few bowlers in cricket history to take over 100 Test wickets after debuting at 30 or older, a feat that stands even more remarkable in hindsight.
First Published:
June 25, 2025, 18:39 IST
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