Father of Cricket in India
The Father of Cricket is a title that has been bestowed upon many outstanding personalities who have significantly contributed to the development and growth of cricket in India. However, the person widely recognized as the Father of Cricket is Prince Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji Jadeja, also known as Ranji.
Ranjitsinhji was born on September 10, 1872, in Nawanagar, a princely state in present-day Gujarat. The grandson of Nawanagar’s Maharaja, he received his education at Cambridge University in England. He made his cricketing debut there and quickly established himself as a formidable opponent. In 1895, he debuted for Sussex and remained a team member for several years.
Some of his notable contributions to cricket include:
Ranjitsinhji was not only an outstanding batsman but also an innovator. He revolutionized the game by pioneering the leg glance, a shot still used today and was renowned for his deft footwork and spin bowling. He amassed over 24,000 runs, 72 centuries, and a 56.37 batting average in first-class cricket. Additionally, he led the England cricket team as captain for 15 Test matches.
In 1907, Ranjitsinhji toured India with a team of English cricketers, and it was during this tour he became a national hero. His elegant stroke play and ability to dominate the Indian bowlers captivated the Indian crowds, and he was hailed as the greatest cricketer of all time. He also used this opportunity to promote cricket in India, and it was mainly due to his efforts that the game gained popularity in the country.
Ranjitsinhji also played a crucial role in forming the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in 1928, now the governing body for cricket in India. He was also instrumental in establishing the Ranji Trophy, India’s premier domestic cricket competition named in his honor.
Ranjitsinhji passed away on April 2, 1933, at 60. However, his legacy lives on and he is still remembered as the Father of Cricket. He was enlisted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009, and his name is still synonymous with cricket in India.
In conclusion, Ranjitsinhji’s contribution to Indian cricket is immeasurable. He revolutionized the game with innovative batting and was crucial in promoting cricket in India. His efforts laid the foundation for the growth and development of cricket in India, and his legacy will continue to inspire generations of cricketers to come.
Father of cricket in the world
The father of modern cricket is widely considered to be Englishman William Gilbert Grace, also known as W.G. Grace.
Grace was an exceptional cricketer credited with revolutionizing the game of cricket in the late 1800s. He is widely popular as one of the greatest cricketers of all time and is known for his exceptional batting and bowling skills.
W.G. Grace is known as the father of cricket due to his unwavering commitment and long-lasting devotion to the sport, even without financial benefits. He played 870 First-Class games in 44 years of English cricket when it was unpopular and unrewarded. Despite this, Grace dedicated his entire life, time, and energy to the game to elevate it to new heights.
Some of his notable contributions to cricket include:
- Popularizing cricket: Grace was an exceptional cricketer, and his popularity helped make the sport more popular in England and worldwide.
- Introduction of overarm bowling: In the 1870s, Grace campaigned to change the laws of cricket to allow overarm bowling. This revolutionized the game by allowing bowlers to deliver the ball faster and more accurately.
- Setting high standards: Grace was known for his high standards and insistence on fair play and sportsmanship. He set an example for future generations of cricketers to follow.
- In his day, Grace was an exceptional cricketer with unparalleled batting and bowling abilities. He played in more than 800 first-class matches and scored over 54,000 runs, and took more than 2,800 wickets.
Before him, no other cricketer had ever spent as much time practicing and refining their batting technique as Grace did. He developed new batting techniques that are now common among modern cricketers. Grace could adjust his movement based on where the ball was pitched, moving forward or back as needed. Maharajah Ranjitsinhji, known as the Father of Cricket, praised Grace’s skill and said that he turned the simple and limited instrument of batting into a versatile and complex one.
