Long before Sachin Tendulkar became a name that needed no introduction, a loquacious raconteur from west Yorkshire knew him as the simple teenager, who once messed up his own kitchen while trying his hands at washing clothes.
Meet Suleiman Adam or Solly bhai, a man who is God-send for all Indian cricketers coming to play league or county cricket in the north of England. Solly bhai played a role in bringing Tendulkar to Yorkshire and breaking the county's century-old tradition of not signing a foreign player.
From Sunil Gavaskar and Ashok Mankad in the 1970s to Tendulkar, Yorkshire county's first-ever overseas professional, Solly bhai was their "one-stop solution centre" for years.
"They were never celebrity sportsmen for me. Sunil is like my younger brother. My wife Maryam was in hospital in Mumbai and he came to meet me. VVS (Laxman) is coming today to see her. You know Sachin attended my son's wedding back in 1989 before he played for India," recalls Solly bhai, a raconteur of journeymen Indian cricketers.
He was like the then 18-year-old Tendulkar's local guardian when he signed for Yorkshire in 1992, but the association dates back to late 80s.
"Before Sachin, I had arranged a club contract for Vinod (Kambli) in the high-quality Bradford League. He was being paid 25 pounds per game. Sachin was also in England for Kailash Gattani's club. He asked for 100 pounds per game. I spoke to Chickenley Cricket Club but they couldn't have afforded 100 pounds per game and deal fell through," he remembers.
He was asked how Yorkshire broke their century-old tradition, and Solly bhai had a hearty laugh.
More From This Section
"It's a long story and I believe I had a small role in that as I am a member of Yorkshire CCC. Although I wasn't a part of their cricket committee," he says.
"It so happened that I watched the 6 pm news sometime in 1991 where I saw it was announced that Yorkshire was changing the century old rule where no player other than ones born in Yorkshire could play for the county. They had decided on Craig McDermott as their first overseas signing.
"I thought it was a good move and then I suddenly learnt that McDermott is injured and had pulled out. I immediately called a committee member and told them that I can get them a good Asian international player Indian or Pakistani but they were not interested but I was adamant. I said I wanted to speak to the committee," he recollects.
Next day when Fred Trueman, one of the greatest fast bowlers that the game has ever produced, saw Solly entering the Leeds ground, he was livid.
"Freddie said 'I know Solly why you have come but I didn't even want an Australian'. I said that I will place my cards in front of the committee and let them decide. The members asked which name did I have in mind and I promptly said: 'Sachin Tendulkar'."
"These two boys were so simple that they were scared of carrying the whole wad of cash and my son went to Nottingham (before the 3rd Test) and handed them their fees."
"You know cricketers, who played club cricket have worked at my petrol pumps. Because they would be paid 25 pounds for weekend matches. Madan Lal worked at 50 pence an hour, even VVS has worked when he was a teenager and played club cricket. I had few houses and they would stay there."