Country’s oldest living Test cricketer Dattajirao dead

Vadodara: Former Indian Test cricket team captain Dattajirao Gaekwad passed away in the city early on Tuesday morning at the age of 95. He was the country’s oldest living test cricketer.
Dattajirao hadn’t been keeping well for over the last one-and-half years and spent most of his time at his home near the Polo Ground. His family members said that he was admitted to a private hospital a week ago due to ill health.
“When his medical reports arrived, we learnt that he had already suffered from a minor heart attack.His kidneys got affected due to it and his blood pressure too began dropping. Early on Tuesday morning, his heart stopped functioning,” said Shatrunjay Gaekwad, grandson of Dattajirao.
Dattajirao earlier played for Bombay University and then shifted to the Baroda team. He made his Test debut when the Indian team toured England in 1952. A right-handed batsman, Dattajirao played 11 Test matches in his cricketing career and captained the Indian team when it toured England in 1959.
He scored 350 runs in his Test career that ended in 1961 when he played his last match against Pakistan. He was known to be a good fielder.
Though he could make a little mark in his international cricketing career, Dattajirao’s first-class cricket performance was impressive. He captained the Baroda squad that won the Ranji trophy in 1957-58 which he had described as one of his best memories. He played 110 first-class matches and scored 5,788 runs at an average of 36.40 apart from bagging 25 wickets. He hit 17 centuries with a top score of 259 runs.
He was the coach of the Baroda team for years and he trained many former first-class as well as ex-international cricketers. Father of former India cricketer Anshuman Gaekwad, he was a distant relative of the royal Gaekwad family of Baroda state.
“He was not just a gifted cricketer but also a passionate coach. I remember how he used to make us practice for hours at the Motibaug Ground without any financial expectations as there was little money in cricket in that era. We shared a good time when I met him a year-and-a-half ago,” said Kiran More, former India wicket-keeper.
“Dattajirao was a cricketing doyen and a very disciplined man. He coached many former cricketers from Vadodara who owe their careers to him,” said Pranav Amin, president, Baroda Cricket Association (BCA).
Dattajirao was very active despite his old age and his acquaintances said that he had a sharp memory.
His last rites were conducted on Tuesday afternoon at the Kirti Mandir where the funeral of royal Gaekwad family members is held. Gaekwad is survived by his wife, three daughters and a son. While several former cricketers including Nayan Mongia, Jacob Martin, Atul Bedade, Rakesh Patel, Snehal Parikh and Satyajit Parab attended the funeral due to ill health.