In 1962, India’s young captain Nari Contractor was left critically ill after being struck on the head by West Indies fast bowler Charlie Griffith during the West Indies tour. Having been hit with such a sickening thud immediately afterward Contractor was dismissive of those who ran to his assistance, and he shaped as if he intended to bat on. A slightly delayed outpouring of blood from the ear and nose put a stop to that idea, and he was quickly helped from the field and after a brief stay in the pavilion was rushed to hospital. There were two operations, one by a local surgeon just to keep Contractor alive long enough for the Trinidadian specialist to arrive and carry out the surgery that saved the Indian captain’s life, with the assistance of blood from Sir Frank Worrell, Umrigar and Borde who donated blood immediately after the match was adjourned.