India, Aug. 29 -- Dhyan Chand was born on August 29, 1905, and 121 years later, the stories surrounding Indian hockey's greatest icon still stretch far beyond the goals he scored and the Olympic gold medals he won. Some have grown into legend, others into folklore. But one extraordinary episode from his life stands on firmer historical ground - the day the greatest hockey player of his age met the greatest cricketer of his age.

On May 2, 1935, Dhyan Chand and Don Bradman came face to face in Adelaide. It was a meeting between two men who had already reached a level of sporting dominance that few before them had known. Chand, then 29, had won Olympic hockey gold medals with India in 1928 and 1932 and was captain of the Indian side touring...