Vasant Raiji is now India’s oldest living First Class cricketer at the age of 96 after the death of BK Garudachar.
Garudachar died in Bangalore on Friday aged 99 and according to cricket statistician Mohandas Menon. Raiji, who played nine first-class matches for Baroda and Mumbai between 1938-39 to 1949-1950, is now the oldest living Indian first-class cricketer.
“For many we don’t know whether the players are dead or alive and unknown born dates too,” said Bharath Seervi, another cricket statistician at ESPN Cricinfo. “A good candidate should be Vasant Raiji who is more than 96 years of age now and is definitely Mumbai’s oldest living cricketer.”
After his playing days, Raiji, an accountant by profession became game’s historian. He has written several books on early days of Indian cricket. His younger brother Madan Raiji, who died 10 days before his 89th birthday, also played 34 First Class matches for Mumbai.
The oldest ever Indian first-class player was Professor Deodhar who reached 101 and played 81 first-class matches. The Indian Cricket Board named the Deodhar Trophy in his memory.
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