Ramakant Desai
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| Full name | Ramakant Bhikaji Desai | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 20 June 1939 British India | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 27 April 1998 (aged 58) Mumbai, India | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname | Tiny | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm fast | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Bowler | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side |
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| Test debut (cap 90) | 6 February 1959 v West Indies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 15 February 1968 v New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: ESPNcricinfo, 3 February 2021 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ramakant Bhikaji Desai
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 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
In his first year in the Ranji Trophy, he took 50 wickets in 7 matches at an average of 11.10.[2] It is still a record for Bombay. It included a performance of 5 for 10 and 6 for 28 against Saurashtra.[3] In the Ranji Trophy final in 1960–61 he took 7 for 46 and 4 for 74 in Bombay's victory over Rajasthan.[4] Two years later, also against Rajasthan in the final, he scored his only first-class century, 107, in another victory.[5] 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.[6]
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."[7]
Desai was the chairman of selectors from 1996 to 1997. He resigned the post a month before his death. He died four days after being admitted in a hospital in Mumbai from cardiac arrest.[8]
References
- ^ Wisden 1969, p. 854.
- ^ Wisden 1960, p. 886.
- ^ Saurashtra v Bombay 1958–59
- ^ Rajasthan v Bombay 1960–61
- ^ Rajasthan v Bombay 1962–63
- ^ Indian Express, 20 February 1969
- ^ Wisden 1970, p. 960.
- ^ "Ramakant Desai dies of cardiac arrest". The Indian Express. 28 April 1998. Archived from the original on 16 July 2004. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
- Obituary in Indian Cricket 1998
- Christopher Martin-Jenkins, The Complete Who's Who of Test Cricketers