Cricket has the power to ignite human passion, bring people from different backgrounds and cultures together and instill universal values of friendship, togetherness and belonging.
These are just some of the themes covered in the biography ‘Solly Adam: Beyond Boundaries’ – by Vara Vantapati.
Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC) was delighted to support Adam’s book launch, detailing the life of the Yorkshire cricket legend, at a star-studded event in the prestigious Long Room at Headingley Cricket Ground, yesterday (Monday, 16 September, 2024).
From left to right: Abdul A Ravat alongside, Mushtaq Mohammad, the former Pakistan captain, Solly Adam, Colin Graves, YCCC Chair, author Vara Vantapati, and Maroof Khan from YCCC, were in attendance at Headingley.
Adam’s journey brought him to Yorkshire from his native India in 1964 with £1 in his pocket. Fast forward 28 years and Adam assisted YCCC in signing Indian superstar, Sachin Tendulkar back in 1992, making history as the first overseas player for the Club. He recommended Tendulkar to the Yorkshire Committee, and the then 19-year-old Tendulkar stayed with Solly and his family for much of that season.
Tendulkar is just one of more than 400 players Adam has mentored over the years, many of whom went on to become, international stars such as VVS Laxman, Vinod Kambli and Wasim Jaffer. He was also responsible for the late Abdul Qadir’s brief stint at Hanging Heaton CC, delivering progress reports back to Imran Khan, who had designs on the leg-spinner for the Pakistan Test side and went on to play 67 Test and 104 ODIs.
Adam, a left-arm spinner who played Minor Counties for Cumberland, and captained Batley and Spen Victoria with great success, also helped a lot of local Yorkshire cricketers such as pace bowler Paul Jarvis, who went on to play 9 Tests and 16 ODIs for England.
Pictured, Sachin Tendulkar, after signing for Yorkshire.
To celebrate the release of the biography, YCCC welcomed over 200 guests – including Mushtaq Mohammad, the former Pakistan captain, and YCCC Chair Colin Graves (CBE), to the special evening at Headingley.
Adam, 78, said: “I must say a big thank you to Vara Vantapati, who has done a wonderful job writing the book.
“I am also grateful to Abdul A Ravat who engaged with Yorkshire, and particularly Colin Graves, for creating this history for an Asian bloke, an ordinary person who used to work as a motor mechanic, to launch the book at Headingley Cricket Ground.
“I’m very grateful to them and to all the guests who attended and share this occasion with me and my family.”
Solly Adam celebrates his book launch at Headingley Cricket Ground.
Highlights from the event included personal videos from a host of cricketing legends including Sunil Gavaskar and Tendulkar, who both unfortunately couldn’t attend due to other commitments, although they will attend the Indian launch of the book in November which is scheduled during the Mumbai Test between India and New Zealand. Also providing video messages were: Laxman, Iqbal Qasim, Chris Pickles, and Yorkshire’s Paul Jarvis.
There were a number of speeches during the evening from former cricketers including Mohammed, Abey Kuruvilla, former Indian cricketer, and General Manager of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). There was also a very moving personal tribute from Solly’s daughter and a cake cutting ceremony to accompany the official book launch.
Graves said: “Yorkshire County Cricket Club was delighted to officially launch Solly’s biography at Headingly Cricket Ground and we thank all our guests for making this a brilliant evening.
“Solly has done so much for others, and this is recognition he richly deserves.”
YCCC was delighted to host Adam’s book launch, detailing the life of the Yorkshire cricket legend, at a star-studded event in the prestigious Long Room at Headingley Cricket Ground.
The author of the book, Vantapati, said: “Solly Bhai’s journey – from starting with nothing to achieving so much – felt incredibly inspiring. I was determined to share his story with the world, so I decided to take on this project voluntarily. Probably, this is one of those projects driven purely by passion, with no commercial intent.
“Over the past couple of years, we worked closely together, and I’m so glad that his biography has finally seen the light of the day!
“Thanks to Colin Graves and Yorkshire County Cricket Club for their unconditional support.”
From left to right: YCCC Chair Colin Graves alongside Solly Adam and author Vara Vantapati.
Ravat, a community cricket campaigner and who was instrumental in enabling this book launch at Headingley, said: “When Solly Uncle contacted me about this book I instantly lined up the dots and decided that its launch had to be at Headingley, and it is wonderful that we have delivered this event.
“Solly Uncle’s lifelong love for cricket and unflinching support to shape the lives and prospects of so many talented cricketers that have become household names and legends of the game is remarkable. Without his and his families love and affection most would not have enjoyed the success in cricket and in life.
“It is a story that starts from 1945 which Vara Vantapati has brought alive for the cricketing fraternity and the wider community to appreciate and wonder.”
‘Solly Adam – Beyond Boundaries’
The book, ‘Solly Adam – Beyond Boundaries’ by Vara Vantapati, can be purchased from Amazon UK or visit www.sollyadam.com for more details.
It is also available at Solly Sports (WF12 9PJ), Dewsbury.
