Chandu Borde

Chandu Borde

Personal information
Full name	Chandrakant Gulabrao Borde
Born	(1934-07-21) 21 July 1934 Pune, Bombay Presidency, British India
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right arm leg break
International information
National side	India
Test debut (cap 83)	28 November 1958 v West Indies
Last Test	9 November 1969 v Australia
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1952–1973	Maharashtra
1954–1955	Bombay
1954–1963	Baroda
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class Matches 55 251 Runs scored 3,061 12,805 Batting average 35.59 40.91 100s/50s 5/18 30/72 Top score 177* 207* Balls bowled 5,695 20,304 Wickets 52 331 Bowling average 46.48 27.32 5 wickets in innings 1 14 10 wickets in match 0 3 Best bowling 5/88 8/52 Catches/stumpings 37/– 160/–
Source: Cricinfo, 2 October 2009

Chandrakant Gulabrao "Chandu" Borde pronunciation  (born 21 July 1934), is a former cricketer who was a member of the Indian team between 1958 and 1970. Following his retirement, Borde became a cricket administrator, serving as the Chairman of national selectors. He has received various awards from the Government of India for his contributions to cricket, on and off the field.

Published his autobiography in July 2018, titled Panther's Paces (as told to Mohan Sinha).

Domestic cricket

Debut

Borde made his debut in 1954/55 domestic season for Baroda against Gujarat in Ahmedabad in December 1954. He played in the semi-final against Holkar and was bowled for a duck. He had more success in the following season, making maiden century against Bombay. In the 1957/58 Ranji final against Services, he scored a half-century and picked up 5 wickets in the match. He represented Maharashtra after a transfer in 1964.

Test cricket

The beginning

Borde made his debut in the First Test during the West Indies tour of India. Over the first two Tests, his performance was ordinary and was dropped for the Third Test in favour of debutant Ramnath Kenny. After a poor performance from Kenny, Borde was recalled and made his maiden Test half-century. In the Fifth and final Test of the series, Borde made his international breakthrough with a maiden century, 109 and then 96 in the second innings of a drawn match.

In the next series, India toured England, and Borde fractured the little finger on the left hand in the First Test, and missed the second Test. Over the next 11 matches, Borde scored only two half-centuries and 14 wickets as Australia and Pakistan toured India. In the Fourth Test against Pakistan in Madras, he made 177*, his second century and highest Test score, combining in a 177-run stand with fellow centurion Polly Umrigar.

Contributions in Indian victories

Borde played a key part in India's first victory over England in the Fourth Test played in Eden Gardens, Kolkata, scoring two half centuries (68 and 61) and taking 3 wickets in the First Test. In the next Test in Madras, India won again with Borde taking five wickets.

India's tour of the West Indies in 1961/62 was disappointing, resulting in a 5–0 whitewash. Borde had a mediocre series scoring 244 runs at 24.4 and taking only six wickets. He followed it with good performances in the next two series (England in India, and Australia tour of India) scoring 383 at 42.55 and taking ten wickets in eight Tests.

Kiwi pleasure

New Zealand toured India in 1964/65 and Borde took a liking to the opposition, scoring a century in Brabourne Stadium, Bombay in the Third Test. It was one of three centuries in the series. He finished with 371 runs at 60.81. The series also marked the last time that Borde bowled at international level.

Borde followed up the successful New Zealand series with another great individual performance in the home series against West Indies scoring two centuries as India lost the three Test series 2–0.

Honors: RoW XI selection and Test match captaincy

Borde was the only Indian representative in the Rest of the World XI squad that played against Barbados in March 1967.

Borde captained the Indian team in the First Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval in December 1967. The Nawab of Pataudi resumed his position as captain in the next match.

Career twilight

Outside his sole Test as captain in Australia, Borde had disappointing performances on the tours to Australia, England and New Zealand scoring 468 runs at 24.67 in 11 Tests with only four half-centuries. Playing only as a specialist batsman, Borde was dropped as part of a youth selection policy, with his place taken by Gundappa Viswanath after the First Test against Australia at Brabourne Stadium.

Cricket administrator

Borde had two stints as the chairman of the national selection committee:

• 1984 to 1986
• 1999 to 2002

Apart his duties as chairman of the selection committee, Borde has handled other tasks for Indian cricket and a partial list is listed:

• Manager, India's tour of Pakistan in 1989.
• Pitch curator, Nehru Stadium, Pune (1984–present).
• Manager, India's tour of Ireland and England in 2007.

Records

• Borde scored 1,604 first-class runs in 1964–65 which was an Indian record for a calendar year. The record was broken in 2016–17 by Cheteshwar Pujara.

Awards

Borde received several awards from Indian government and cricket establishment for his contribution to cricket:

• 1966: Was awarded the Arjuna Award by Government of India making him the fourth cricketer to receive the award.
• 1969: Was awarded the Padma Shri
• 2002: Awarded Padma Bhushan – India's third highest civilian award.
• 2006: CK Nayudu Award for Lifetime achievement awarded by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

References

Preceded by Ravi Shastri

Indian Cricket Team Coach/Manager 2007–2008

Succeeded by Gary Kirsten