Vasant Raiji, a right-handed batsman, played nine first-class matches in the 1940s, scoring 277 runs with 68 being his highest score.
Sports Desk- Vasant Raiji, the world’s oldest first class cricketer, died in Mumbai on Saturday morning. He was 100 years old and is survived by his wife and two daughters. His son-in-law Sudarshan Nanavati has confirmed the death. His funeral will take place at the Chandanwadi crematorium in South Mumbai. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has also expressed grief over his death.
Raiji, also a cricket historian and chartered accountant, was 13 when India played its first Test match at the Bombay Gymkhana in South Mumbai. The right-handed batsman, played nine first-class matches for Mumbai and Baroda in the 1940s, scoring 277 runs with 68 being his highest score in his decade-long career. He made his debut for a Cricket Club of India team that played Central Provinces and Berar in Nagpur in 1939.
BCCI mourns the sad demise of Vasant Raiji. The former first-class cricketer and historian, who turned 100 this year in January, passed away in his sleep.https://t.co/0ywSprK93o pic.twitter.com/Z44gmP76X7
— BCCI (@BCCI) June 13, 2020
His Mumbai debut happened in 1941 when the team played Western India under the leadership of Vijay Merchant. “Raiji watched eight decades of Indian cricket and interacted with a plethora of cricketers. Few people would know about cricket as much as he does. But what makes Raiji so special is that he has never indulged in any kind of comparison between two players, ” cricket writer Makarand Waingankar wrote his in book Bombay Boys. Raiji wrote 8 priceless books which make rare literature of cricketing history.
I met Shri Vasant Raiji earlier this year to celebrate his 100th birthday. His warmth and passion for playing and watching Cricket was endearing.
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) June 13, 2020
His passing away saddens my heart. My condolences to his family & friends. pic.twitter.com/fi8dOP7EnI
