>Tintin1107: as per CI

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as per CI

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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2013}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2013}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Ramakant Desai
| image =
| caption =
| fullname = Ramakant Bhikaji Desai
| nickname = Tiny
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1939|6|20|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Mumbai|Bombay]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1998|4|27|1939|6|20|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Mumbai]], India
| heightft = 5
| heightinch = 4
| batting = Right-handed
| bowling = Right-arm fast-medium
| columns = 2
| column1 = [[Test cricket|Tests]]
| matches1 = 28
| runs1 = 418
| bat avg1 = 13.48
| 100s/50s1 = 0/1
| top score1 = 85
| deliveries1 = 5,597
| wickets1 = 74
| bowl avg1 = 37.31
| fivefor1 = 2
| tenfor1 = –
| best bowling1 = 6/56
| catches/stumpings1= 9/0
| column2 = [[First-class cricket|First-class]]
| matches2 = 150
| runs2 = 2,384
| bat avg2 = 18.19
| 100s/50s2 = 1/9
| top score2 = 107
| deliveries2 = 23,906
| wickets2 = 468
| bowl avg2 = 24.10
| fivefor2 = 22
| tenfor2 = 2
| best bowling2 = 7/46
| catches/stumpings2= 50/0
| country = Indian
| international = true
| internationalspan = 1959-1968

| testdebutfor =
| testdebutagainst = West Indies
| testdebutdate = 6 February
| testdebutyear = 1959
| lasttestdate = 15 February
| lasttestfor =
| lasttestagainst = New Zealand
| lasttestyear = 1968

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/player/28045.html ESPNcricinfo
| date = 3 February 2021
}}
'''Ramakant Bhikaji Desai''' {{audio|Ramakant_Desai.ogg|pronunciation}} (20 June 1939 in [[Mumbai|Bombay]] – 27 April 1998 in Mumbai) represented [[Indian cricket team|India]] in [[Test cricket]] as a [[fast bowler]] from 1959 to 1968.

Ramakant Desai was an Indian fast bowler, who stood 5 feet 4 inches tall, earning him the nickname "Tiny". He made his Test debut against [[West Indian cricket team|West Indies]] in 1958–59 took 4/169 in 49 overs. He troubled the batsmen with bouncers, which was unusual for an Indian bowler at the time.

He toured [[England]] in 1959, West Indies in 1961–62 and Australia and New Zealand in 1967–68. Against [[Pakistani cricket team|Pakistan]] in 1960–61, he took 21 wickets in the series. At [[Brabourne Stadium|Bombay]], he scored a quick 85 batting at No.10, an Indian record, and added a record 149 for the ninth wicket with [[Nana Joshi]]. His best bowling performance in Tests was 6 for 56 against [[New Zealand cricket team|New Zealand]] at Bombay in 1964–65. At [[Carisbrook (stadium)|Dunedin]] in 1967–68 his jaw was fractured by a ball from [[Dick Motz]], despite which he added 57 runs for the last wicket with [[Bishen Bedi]].<ref>''[[Wisden Cricketers' Almanack|Wisden]]'' 1969, p. 854.</ref>

In his first year in the [[Ranji Trophy]], he took 50 wickets in 7 matches at an average of 11.10.<ref>''[[Wisden Cricketers' Almanack|Wisden]]'' 1960, p. 886.</ref> It is still a record for [[Mumbai cricket team|Bombay]]. It included a performance of 5 for 10 and 6 for 28 against [[Saurashtra cricket team|Saurashtra]].<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/23/23308.html Saurashtra v Bombay 1958–59]</ref> In the Ranji Trophy final in 1960–61 he took 7 for 46 and 4 for 74 in Bombay's victory over [[Rajasthan cricket team|Rajasthan]].<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/24/24651.html Rajasthan v Bombay 1960–61]</ref> Two years later, also against Rajasthan in the final, he scored his only first-class century, 107, in another victory.<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/25/25975.html Rajasthan v Bombay 1962–63]</ref> In his 11 years in the Bombay team (1958–59 to 1968–69), he never finished in a losing side. Desai announced his retirement at the prize distribution ceremony of the [[1968-69 Ranji Trophy]] final.<ref>Indian Express, February 20, 1969 </ref>

As the only bowler of pace in the Indian team, he was perennially overworked. When Desai retired from regular first-class cricket after the 1968–69 season, when still only 29 years old, P.N. Sundaresan wrote that he "bowled his heart out on the dead pitches in India ... A more judicious use of his talent both in the Ranji Trophy and other matches could have preserved him as a penetrating bowler for a longer period."<ref>''Wisden'' 1970, p. 960.</ref>

Desai was the chairman of selectors from 1996–97. He resigned the post a month before his death. He died four days after being admitted in a hospital for a cardiac arrest.

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

* Obituary in ''[[Indian Cricket (annual)|Indian Cricket 1998]]''
* Christopher Martin-Jenkins, ''The Complete Who's Who of Test Cricketers''

==External links==
* [http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/india/content/player/28045.html Cricinfo Profile]
* [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1/1097/1097.html Cricketarchive Profile]
* [http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/india/content/story/89818.html "Ramakant Desai - The tiny titan"] at [[Cricinfo]]

{{s-start}}
{{succession box |
before=[[Gundappa Viswanath]] |
title=[[Indian national cricket selectors#Selection committee|Chairman, Selection Committee]] |
years=October 1996 – March 1998 |
after=[[Kishan Rungta]] |
}}
{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Desai, Ramakant}}
[[Category:Indian cricketers]]
[[Category:India Test cricketers]]
[[Category:Mumbai cricketers]]
[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:1998 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian cricket administrators]]
[[Category:India national cricket team selectors]]
[[Category:Indian Universities cricketers]]
[[Category:West Zone cricketers]]
[[Category:Associated Cement Company cricketers]]

Ramakant Desai - Revision history

>Tintin1107: as per CI