The career of C.D. Gopinath, who passed away recently, is a commentary on Indian cricket in the 1950s. He was in the teams that won India’s first-ever Test match and Tamil Nadu’s first-ever Ranji Trophy, scoring a century in the latter match.

Gopinath’s batting reflected his personality. It was stylish, organised, and sound. He was a gentleman who played a gentleman’s game in the days when such things meant something.