PS Moses TN Ranji batsman 1970s 80s

After a blazing start in March 1977 against Bombay as a 19year old, he was in the form of his cricketing life in 1982 when his father’s heart attack followed by a ‘Spiritual Experience’ transformed him. A 2nd tragedy in the early 90s led him into Social Entrepreneurship and deeper into ‘FAITH’

Paul Satish Moses shot into prominence as a 19 year old with a stunning knock in the Ranji Trophy Semi Final against Bombay in March 1977. A big knock against Bombay was always seen in special light in those days and created a big impression on the powers that be. It was an innings that drew immediate praise from batting legend and his cricketing icon Sunil Gavaskar from whom he received an international brand gloves. It was a magical moment in his life and he was on a high. In 1982, he was in the form of his life with a century and a 90 against a strong Hyderabad attack in successive seasons. Just then his father suffered a heart attack and the 25 year old had to run from pillar to post seeking life support. The doctors threw their hands up and asked him to reach out to the 'Superior Powers' above. The youngster, who was all alone that night, was shocked at the response. Soon after he had a great ‘Spiritual Experience’ (enlightenment) that transformed his thought process and he was never the same again.  The experience reformed him as a person and led him to give up serious cricket. At the turn of the next decade, the death of his 18 day daughter led him even deeper into this transformational journey. Over the last couple of decades, he has immersed himself fully into ‘FAITH’ and has turned into a Social Entrepreneur supporting 75 girl children. Here is the story.

The first Gift- Bill Ponsford Bat from Moore Market!!!

Like all young boys from that generation, PS Moses was crazy about cricket and spent a lot of time at the Nehru Park playing cork ball cricket. Like the Somasundaram ground in T. Nagar, this ground too in Chetput served as a launch platform for budding cricketers.

His father Dr RV Moses was the early inspiration for young Paul. Though he himself was not a cricketer, the Senior Moses would roll his arm over every day at home shaping his son’s batting technique. While his father was impressed with the way he played in the inter colony matches in Purasawakkam, there was disappointment in store for Paul soon after he joined MCC School in Chetput. 

PS Moses, now 66, recounts the struggle he encountered to get into the school team in the late 1960s “MCC School had a strong cricket team and was dominated by seniors. My father felt that I was talented and wanted them to take a look at me but despite his request to the PD, I was not allowed into the nets. It took quite an effort for me to have my first knock at the school nets.”

However, the moment coach Audi Chetty had one look at the 11 year old, he was impressed and 'my cricketing prowess began to grow under his watchful eyes', says Moses looking back at how he overcame the early rejection “I scored 35 in my first knock for the school against the Railways team and cemented my place in the team. I was totally thrilled when my father took me to Moore Market and surprised me by handing me a ‘Bill Ponsford’ bat. It was my first big moment in cricket.”

Into the TNCA League - God has his ways!!!

His induction into the TNCA League came out of nowhere. The owner of Milky Way CC, Devarajan, was a medical representative. Moses recalls as to how his father sprung another surprise on him that evening in the early 70s “The two got talking about medicines at my father’s clinic in Padi and when the conversation turned to cricket, my induction into the fifth division league team was sealed.”

Deceptive medium pacer during his school days

Moses had two terrific seasons with Milky Way picking up over 50wickets including 7 and 8 wicket hauls.  These along with his performances for the school got him into the city schools and state schools side. Former TN off spinner M Santosh Kumar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2022/06/m-santosh-kumar-iob-tn-ica.html) played alongside Moses right from the City Schools days right up to Ranji Trophy and was his deputy at the TN state schools tourney as well. Along with current BCCI President Roger Binny, Santosh was also part of the South Zone schools team that Moses captained against North Zone comprising Kapil Dev and Rajinder Amarnath. He recalls Moses from those early years "Moses was a terrific batsman and a very good medium pace bowler with a deceptive bouncer. He was unplayable on matting wickets. He was a gritty cricketer and a classical all-rounder."

While he performed well on the field as an all-rounder in that phase in his mid-teens, what stood out distinctively was his conduct both on and off the field.

“Pasmo (a name given by his close mate Bharath Reddy) was a great Gentleman of the game. He was a very soft spoken person and a nice character to move with on and off the field” says Santosh.

Big Cricketing years at Pachaiappas -Academics takes a back seat

Along with his school mate Bharath Reddy, with whom he was to forge a five decades long friendship, he joined the Pachaiappas College, a team that also had TA Sekar and Santosh. It was a glorious cricket phase for him and he enjoyed the fun atmosphere at the college. 

By this time, Moses’s entire focus was on cricket and academics had taken a back seat. “My father was a doctor and my brother and sister both went on to do medicine. I was the odd one out in the family on the academics front. But my father encouraged me a lot and believed that I could go a long way with the talent I possessed. This helped me play with a free mind in my teenage phase without any parental pressure.”

Along with his college mates, he signed up with Gandhi Nagar club (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/02/gandhi-nagar-sports-club-cricket-ground.html) in the first division. His two hundreds for the city colleges in the Buchi Babu tournament grabbed attention and into his late teens, he seemed to be moving in the right direction in cricket.

India fast bowler from the 1980s and the architect of the MRF Pace Foundation TA Sekar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2013/08/ta-sekar-architect-behind-worlds-best.html) played with Moses through the college phase and at the U22 level and later for TN in the Ranji Trophy. He looks back at Moses as one of the most lovable characters in TN cricket in that period.

Naturally gifted stroke maker

Head of TNCA Academy, PC Prakash was part of the TN team through the 1980s. He found Moses to be a naturally gifted player. “There was a certain style about him in the way he batted. He was excellent in stroke play and timed the ball well. He never seemed to hit too hard but always got the desired results. I fondly remember his double hundred for City Colleges vs Districts at Udumalpet, an innings that stood out for patience and shot selection, bringing out his other side." 

The two of them also played together at the University level and there too 'Paul played some eye catching innings truly memorable ones'. As a team mate, Paul was fun loving and a jolly guy who was always loved by his teammates, says PCP.

A cricketer liked by everyone

Off Spinner and top order bat NS Ramesh played for the Coimbatore districts in his late teens and later went on to play for RBI in the TNCA first division. He was touched by Moses’ personality and the way he moved around with his teammates "While he was a compact and fine batsman, it was the warmth that he exuded that stood out in him. Moses was a very friendly and unassuming guy. He was the kind of person who was liked by all those who knew him."

A dream debut season- Biggest Cricketing Moment

He had made his Ranji debut in December 1976 when TE Srinivasan pulled out at the last moment against Hyderabad “I batted well against Ramnarayan and Abid Ali and scored 30 but with TE back for the next match against Karnataka, I was left out and did not figure in the QF against Railways as well.”

He was picked for the big semifinal clash against Bombay (replacing Michael Dalvi). He was just 19 then and got a taste of what top notch Ranji cricket was all about. On the first morning, TN slumped to 31 for 4 and Moses was up against a fiery Karsan Ghavri and Ismail. “It was a tense entry with my batting idol Gavaskar standing at first slip. I gathered all my determination to see through the initial pace battering and ended up with a satisfying knock of 87.”

Legendary leggie VV Kumar (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2007/07/cricket-tales-exclusive-with-vv-kumar.html) was in his final phase as a cricketer when Moses played that great knock against Bombay and ‘saved TN from the blushes’. He remembers Moses as a chistle cut bat who never deviated from ground realities. "He was an excellent member on tours and his dry sense of humour ‘kept us in good spirits’.  Those who needed solace and comfort could always lean on his shoulders." 

TN Ranji Trophy winning captain S Vasudevan (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/06/vasudevan-tn-ranji-trophy-retirement.html) was team mates with Moses right from the college days and saw many of his stupendous innings. During that entire decade of playing together, he found Moses to be a very sweet person. "And that innings in Bombay  was a memorable one."

When Moses arrived at the dressing room the next morning, he was in for a big surprise. He saw Sunil Gavaskar walking towards him and what happened in the next few moments left him dazed “My cricketing idol handed me an international pair of batting gloves and said ‘I hope to see you in the Indian team soon.’ His words left me numb and I simply could not believe what had happened. It remains my biggest cricketing moment.”

Grateful to VVK and Kalli

As recounted to this writer over the last many years by many of the Ranji stars from the 1970s and 80s, the TN dressing room was not the most cheerful in that phase.  It was overwhelming for a teenager to be part of that dressing room. Moses is grateful to VV Kumar and B Kalyanasundaram for their inspirational role in that debut season ‘VV and Kalli kept motivating and cheering me up with positive words that was so important for a youngster. It helped in taking away that fear of underperformance and being shouted at. It was their contribution off the field that had a calming influence on me in that early phase in my Ranji career.”

High Expectations, Gets a Golden Duck

As expected, that knock against Bombay sent expectations soaring and he was on top of the world. Soon his name was doing the rounds for the national camp ahead of the tour to Australia (he did not make it into the camp). But as is so often the case, he was brought down to earth in the first match next season when on a damp wicket, he was out first ball to Chandrasekara Rao against Andhra. 

Another Master Class on a soggy wicket against Haryana Hurricane

It was on another damp wicket in Jammu that Moses showcased his class in the Vizzy Trophy against North Zone in early 1978. NP Madhavan (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2016/05/np-madhavan.html), who has spent the last four decades at SVPB in Udumalpet, was Moses' roommate during that tourney and remembers the way he fought it out against a rampant Kapil “When we entered Jammu, all talks were on the ‘Haryana Hurricane’. A certain wave of expectations had been built around Kapil. It was a soggy wicket and we were made to play on that though heavy rain had lashed the city. Kapil had 8 fielders around the bat and was almost unplayable. Moses batted with grit and great determination to counter Kapil. Though Kapil took 8 wickets, Moses with his half century helped us reach 161 (Madhavan himself made 30). And then on the final day our captain L Vasan ran through North Zone in 30 odd overs.”

“It was clear to all those that watched the stylish Moses that day that he was a special talent, one that had to be nurtured.”

“As a person, he was soft spoken. Even when he was in the opposition (Madhavan played for IOB in the late 1970s and then for SVPB), he was a very friendly person and it was always good to be talking to him.”

Joins Chemplast, Jolly Rovers cricket was his most enjoyable phase

After his strong debut season, Moses’ fortunes for TN fluctuated in the coming years and he was in and out of the team. He joined Chemplast in 1979 and contrasted with his TN days, he says playing for Jolly Rovers gave him the greatest joy “N Sankar was just unbelievable. He provided all the freedom that we needed as players and there was great camaraderie within the team. It was a real joy to play alongside Sriram and Balaji and later under Bharath Reddy after he took charge in 82 along with Jabbar, Jillu Ramesh and V Prasad. I could fully express myself there without the fear of being shouted at.”

The Hindu’s K Balaji (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/09/a-blossoming-cricket-career-was-cut.html) played for Jolly Rovers for a few years in that phase and saw Moses from close quarters. “He was a talented all round cricketer and a solid team player”, says Balaji.

Best years in Ranji Cricket

He had his two best years in Ranji Trophy in 81-82 and 82-83. For the first time, he got to play almost the entire Ranji season in these two years. In January 1982, he scored a brilliant 90 at the Forest College ground in Coimbatore against Hyderabad helping TN take the first innings lead, a knock that this writer watched in full seated under the tent on the Southern side. In December that year, Moses scored his first and only century in Ranji Trophy against Hyderabad. He was involved in a partnership of over 150 with debutant R Madhavan who missed his century by four runs. 

Moses gave me my batting confidence

Madhavan, whose Ranji career began with that partnership with Moses at Secunderabad and peaked in the 1984-85 when he was on the verge of India Selection, says that right from his school days he was a great admirer of Moses and particularly remembers his fierce square cuts and punches. "He also had this ability to score under pressure." 

Madhavan also credits Moses for giving him the confidence during his college and early Ranji days “Along with Tony Adams, Moses was the one who gave me tremendous confidence during my college days as he had big faith in my abilities . In my early days of first class cricket, the presence of Moses and Jabbar was comforting. They gave me a lot of guidance and I was able to bat without curtailing my aggression and stroke play” 

“Moses was a very affable and friendly person and his ready smile was contagious! I think TN didn't nurture that great talent."

A Complete Team Man

Jolly Rovers and TN teammate for close to a decade, Abdul Jabbar says he was fortunate to watch all of Moses' delightful innings in the RT matches including his brilliant knock against Bombay and later his twin delight against a strong Hyderabad team. The two spent a lot of happy time together on and off the field. He told this writer from Hyderabad where he now resides that Paul Moses was an attractive, elegant as well as a destructive middle order batsman with a wide range of strokes "He was a complete team man. His special knocks in Ranji Trophy revealed that he had immense talent & potential to play higher level but it was not to be."

Father's heart attack 

Dr Moses was all excited about the cricketing prospects of his son in this phase but then tragedy struck. "My father suffered a heart attack late in the night. I was just 25 with a younger brother and sister.  I ran from pillar to post seeking life support for my father. I had a sinking feeling and asked the doctor if he would survive and was shocked at the response. The doctor just threw up his hands  and told me that it was now left to the superior power above."

The youngster, who was all alone that night, did not know what it meant. It was a very difficult thing for him to take that night (his father survived and lived another two decades) and opened him up to a lot of questions about life, at a time when he was in the form of his life on the cricket field. 

The Spiritual Experience

Soon after he had a great ‘Spiritual Experience’ (enlightenment) that transformed his thought process and he was never the same again. He began questioning the purpose of life. The experience reformed him as a person and led him to give up serious cricket when he was 27. It took him on an entirely new path. He wanted to make life a lot more meaningful. After his spiritual experience in 1983, his habits changed overnight. It was the most releasing thing of his life and he found a new freedom that he had hitherto not experienced. For a time during that Ranji phase, he felt he had been in a ‘prison of agony’ and it occurred to him that one should not be spending an important phase in life that way. 

He was at crossroads in life in the mid 1980s caught between cricket on one side and a corporate career on the other. While he decided to give up serious cricket, he worked hard at Chemplast for another 15years in the Personnel department. 

Did not work hard enough to succeed in cricket

Looking back on his Ranji career, he agrees that he did not work as hard as he should have, given the great potential he had and the early success that came his way. He says fitness was not in big focus those days and 'a lot of us played for fun and for job security'. 

"I did not cherish fierce ambitions of climbing high on the cricketing ladder. Also, opportunities at the state level was limited and we played a lot on square turners. Venkat (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2020/04/venkataraghavan75.html) was an exception and wanted everyone to be like him but I simply did not match up to his expectations. I played under pressure through most of my Ranji days and with a feeling that I was always one innings away from being dropped.”

Names his son after his batting idol

Like the former  MD of Sundaram Finance TT Srinivasaraghavan (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2021/08/tt-srinivasaraghavan-tts-sundaram.html) who named his son after the legendary off spinner (Venkataraghavan) and Gavaskar himself who named his son after the West Indian batting great (Rohan), Paul Moses too named his son after his batting idol as Sunil Moses. His son went on to play U19 cricket for TN and for Alwarpet in the first division.

Tragedy Strikes

A few years after the birth of his first son, tragedy struck in the family. In 1991, he lost his daughter just 18 days after her birth. His closest mate in cricket Bharath Reddy (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2019/11/bharath-reddy-players-man.html), who had been a team mate right from their school  days, recounts that tragic year "I went and visited him at the Kalyani Hospital. He was completely down and out for a year. The tragedy drove him faster towards his spiritual endeavours."

Moses went into further introspection after this event and began asking probing questions on what life was about. He was doing well at Chemplast in the 1990s but quit the firm in 1998 rather prematurely when a strong professional career beckoned. 

76 year old B Kalyanasundaram (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2011/08/kalli-b-kalyanasundaram.html) is now travelling across the state on a talent hunt scouting for the next generation of fast bowlers. He himself was a star bowler in the late 1960s and 70s and was on the verge of being selected for the Indian tour to the West Indies. He has always been referred to by Gavaskar as the 'hat-trick man'. Kalli and Moses worked together at Chemplast for a decade.

Kalli believes that Moses could have scaled better heights had he continued there “Moses was an excellent guy. He was not only good at Cricket but made a mark in his professional career in the Personnel department at Chemplast.  He was always well regarded by his friends, fellow cricketers and colleagues in the office. He was very trustworthy and would have scaled better heights had he chosen to continue his professional life."

Into Social Entrepreneurship

Moses moved into Social Entrepreneurship and launched a home near Kanchipuram for 75 girl children and has been running it for the last 25years. He also looked back at his cricketing days and did not like a lot of what he experienced in Ranji cricket. This led him to foraying into ‘Sports Ethics’ directing the next gen on how sports should be played. He finds every opportunity to talk to young sportspeople on how they should look at sports. ‘While they should stay competitive and chase their sporting dream, they should also remember all the time that they should play ‘fair and clean’.”

Into FAITH

As part of his transformation into the ‘FAITH’ space, he continues to preach at Churches based on scriptures on the way to live, on the importance of even loving your enemies and on making the world a better place to live. He says that the real test of a human being is when he or she is under a crisis. ‘That’s when your real character comes out.’

He feels blessed to have made life time friends through cricket and cherishes the great camaraderie to this day. “The cricketing memories will never fade away for it helped forged ever lasting friendships. I am very proud to have played the game for as long as I did.”

For the moment, Moses’s focus is on taking care of the 75 girl children in Kanchipuram, directing the next generation of sportspeople on ‘Sports Ethics’, Motivating people through his speaker sessions on the ‘Dharmic’ way to live life while staying competitive  and propagating ‘FAITH’ that has been close to his heart for four decades now since his first Spiritual Experience in 1983.

The Final Word

His team mate from the late 1960s Bharath Reddy  (https://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2023/03/jolly-rovers-bharath-reddy-40-years.html) has known him long and the best. He credits Moses for having a positive influence on his life. "He taught me the importance of loyalty. On many aspects in life, I have followed his way of life. He has remained a great human being all through his life, a God Fearing Man, humble and straight forward and one who has always believed in mutually enduring long term relationships. His communication skills and the ability to articulate his thoughts has helped him in his motivational speaking sessions and with his 'Sports Ethics' training. He was a gritty fighter during his cricketing days and it is commendable that he has overcome really challenging times in his life to support the 75 odd girl children in the home near Kanchi for as long a period as he has done."