Doctors have removed a metal plate from India’s former cricket captain Nari Contractor’s skull, which was implanted 60 years ago after a near-fatal bouncer by West Indies’ Charlie Griffith.

Contractor’s international career was cut short after 31 Tests due to a brutal knock on the back of his head while facing the Barbados fast bowler during a 1962 tour game.

Contractor underwent a number of procedures, including the titanium plate installation, which took place the same year.

His son, Hoshedar Contractor, told AFP that his father, now 88, was doing well after the implant was removed on Wednesday in a Mumbai hospital.

“As a family, our concern was about how he would be able to handle post-op at this age. But he’s doing absolutely fine and is mobile,” he said.

“The doctors Dr. Harshad Parekh and Dr. Anil Tibrewala did a great job.”

According to his son, Contractor was losing skin in the area of his skull where the plate was, so they decided to remove it.

Contractor is also known for scoring 81 runs against England at Lord’s in 1959 despite a Brian Statham knock to the ribcage that broke two of his ribs.

In a 2009 interview, the left-handed opener revealed he was preoccupied when he was hit in Barbados because “someone opened a window in the pavilion.”

As physicians tried to save Contractor’s life, Frank Worrell, the West Indies captain at the time, and several of his teammates and Indian players donated blood.

At the time, batsmen did not wear helmets.

“There were no sight screens at that time and my 100 percent concentration wasn’t on that delivery. I saw it just inches away before it hit me,” Contractor told the DNA newspaper.

“But it isn’t true that I ducked.”