Datta Gaekwad

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Datta Gaekwad
Personal information
Born (1928-10-27) 27 October 1928 (age 95)
Vadodara, India
BattingRight-hand bat
BowlingRight-arm medium, legbreak
RelationsAnshuman Gaekwad (son)
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 60)5 June 1952 v England
Last Test13 January 1961 v Pakistan
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1948–1963Baroda
Career statistics
Competition Tests First-class
Matches 11 110
Runs scored 350 5,788
Batting average 18.42 36.40
100s/50s 0/1 17/23
Top score 52 249*
Balls bowled 12 1,964
Wickets 0 25
Bowling average 40.64
5 wickets in innings 0 0
10 wickets in match 0 0
Best bowling 4/117
Catches/stumpings 5/– 49/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo

Dattajirao Krishnarao Gaekwad About this soundpronunciation  (born 27 October 1928) is a former Indian cricketer. He appeared in 11 Test matches, toured England in 1952 and 1959 and West Indies in 1952–53. He captained the Indian team in the 1959 tour. As a batsman Gaekwad "possessed a sure defence and delightfully crisp shots especially through the covers". He was also an occasional leg spin bowler. As of 2018, he is India's oldest living Test cricketer.[1][2]

Biography[edit]

Gaekwad played his early cricket for Bombay University and the Maharaja Sayaji University in Baroda. He made his Test debut in the first Test of 1952 tour of England, in Leeds. He opened the innings for India despite never having done so before the tour. He was one among four victims dismissed for no score in the second innings of the Test.[3] His West Indies tour in the next year was terminated during the second Test when he collided with Vijay Hazare while going for a catch and dislocated his shoulder.

In 1956–58, he captained Baroda to their first Ranji title in nine years. He scored a double hundred against the defending champions Bombay during the course of the season. This was followed by a recall to the Indian team for the final Test against West Indies in 1958–59. His 52 in the second innings was the only fifty of his career and went some way towards India earning a draw. With Hemu Adhikari, who had captained in this match, being unavailable, Gaekwad led the Indian team to the tour of England in 1959. India lost all the five matches and Gaekwad did not appear in another Test.

In Ranji Trophy, he scored 3139 runs with 14 centuries and a highest of 249 against Maharashtra in 1959–60.

Personal life[edit]

Gaekwad is the father of the Indian opener Anshuman Gaekwad. He was distantly related to the Baroda royal family and served as the Deputy comptroller to the Baroda state.

References[edit]

  1. "Oldest Living Players". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  2. Gollapudi, Nagraj (16 May 2016). "Former India cricketer Deepak Shodhan dies aged 87". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  3. Mantri, Madhav (11 April 2008). "Duck soup". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  • Christopher Martin-Jenkins, Who's who of Test cricketers (1986). The description in the lead is from this book.
  • Rajan Bala, The Covers are Off. Bala suggests that one of the reasons for the fiasco of the 1959 tour was the resentment of Bombay players towards those from Baroda.
  • Richard Cashman, Patrons, Players and the Crowd.
  • Cricinfo interview

External links[edit]

Preceded by
Hemu Adhikari
Indian National Test Cricket Captain
1959 (1 Match)
Succeeded by
Pankaj Roy
Preceded by
Pankaj Roy
Indian National Test Cricket Captain
1959
Succeeded by
Gulabrai Ramchand
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