New Delhi, March 10: Vijay Samuel Hazare is regarded as one of India’s greatest cricketers. He made significant contributions to both domestic and international cricket, strengthening the Indian team during its formative years. In his honor, India’s domestic One Day tournament is named after him.
Born on March 11, 1915, in Sangli, Maharashtra, Hazare received coaching from the legendary Australian spinner Clarrie Grimmett in a rural setting.
He began his first-class career in the 1934/35 season and made his international debut against England at the historic Lord’s ground in 1946. At 31, Hazare scored 31 and 34 runs in his first match for India.
Vijay Hazare was the first Indian player to surpass 1,000 runs. He also became the first Indian to score centuries in both innings of a Test match, achieving this feat in January 1948 against Australia in Adelaide, with scores of 116 and 145. Additionally, he was the first Indian to hit a triple century in first-class cricket, accomplishing this in January 1940 while playing for Maharashtra against Baroda.
As the first Indian to score 50 centuries in first-class cricket, Hazare played 30 Test matches for India. Over 52 innings, he amassed 2,192 runs at an average of 47.65, including 7 centuries and 9 half-centuries. Under his captaincy, India secured its first Test victory as an independent nation in 1952, defeating England by an innings and 8 runs.
In his first-class career, Hazare played a total of 238 matches, scoring 18,740 runs at an impressive average of 58.38, with 60 centuries and 73 half-centuries.
In 1960, he was honored with the Padma Shri award, followed by the CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. Today, the Vijay Hazare Trophy, which began in the 2002-03 season, is contested by all teams in the Ranji Trophy, celebrating his enduring legacy in Indian domestic cricket.
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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