Vijay Hazare is the first Indian player to score a century in three consecutive Test matches.
Under Vijay Hazare’s captaincy, India played 14 matches between 1951-1953. Vijay Hazare Trophy was named after him to honour his extraordinary accomplishments
Vijay Hazare, the legendary cricketer who led India to its first Test Match win, had left an indelible mark in the history of Indian cricket. In 1952, India won its first-ever Test match against England in Chennai, under Hazare’s fantastic leadership.
Born on March 11, 1915, Hazare was born Vijay Samuel Hazare. He was the one to score a triple century in first class cricket. This right-handed batsman had countless notable achievements to his credit. Under Hazare’s captaincy, India played 14 matches between 1951-1953. Vijay Hazare Trophy was named after him to honour his extraordinary accomplishments.
Did you know that he scored 60 first-class centuries during his cricket career?
In fact, he scored seven centuries in Tests making it to 60 first-class centuries. This made him the fourth-highest scorer among Indian players.
Well, there are several fascinating facts about this remarkable cricketer that you would like to know. On his 107th birth anniversary, let’s pay our humble tribute to the legendary man by taking a look at some of the lesser-known facts about him:
- Hazare is the first Indian player to score a century in three consecutive Test matches. He happens to be also the first Indian player to complete 1,000 Test Runs.
- Recipient of the prestigious Padma Shri (in 1960) Hazare was the first cricketer to receive such an honour.
- Hazare scored 10 first-class double centuries (including six centuries during World War II), at a time when India was the only country to arrange its domestic first-class cricket competition.
- The ace sportsman served as a selector for the Indian team for some time.
- Hazare held a first-class record for a batting average of 58.38 for his 18,740 runs. After Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, this is the highest first-class aggregate for an Indian player.
- He took a total of 595 first-class wickets at a bowling average of 24.61.
- Hazare, a right-hand medium-pace bowler, took Donald Bradman’s wicket thrice.
- Hazare scored 2192 runs at an average of 47.65, hitting seven centuries and nine half-centuries, in 30 Tests.
- Hazare’s partnership of 577 runs with Gul Mahomed for Baroda in the 1947 Ranji Trophy final was the highest for any wicket until 2006 when Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene stitched together a 624-run stand for Sri Lanka against South Africa in Colombo.
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