Eknath Solkar was blooded as a 19-year-old to play against Saurashtra at Jamnagar in 1967. Mumbai skipper Manohar Hardikar's opening bowlers Ramakant Desai and Umesh Kulkarni had no early success. Off-spinner Sharad Diwadkar too couldn't separate Saurashtra's opening pair of Vinoo Majithia and Jitu Shah. Solkar was given the ball and claimed Saurashrtra's first six batsmen in the space of 37 runs. Diwadkar and Baloo Gupte sent back the rest of the batsmen in the Saurashtra team which were led by the Maharaja of Nawanagar.

Eknath Solkar