The Indian team, currently playing the third Test against England at Rajkot will be wearing black arm bands in memory of Dattajirao Gaekwad, said the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday. Gaekwad, the former India captain and country’s oldest Test cricketer, passed away recently on February 13.
“Team India will be wearing black arm bands in memory of Dattajirao Gaekwad, former India captain and India’s oldest Test cricketer who passed away recently,” said a statement from the BCCI ahead of day three’s play.
Gaekwad played 11 Tests for India between 1952 and 1961 and even captained the team during the 1959 tour of England. The right-handed batter finished with 350 Test runs at an average of 18.42, with his highest score being 52 came against West Indies at New Delhi in 1959.
In domestic cricket, Gaekwad represented Baroda 1947 to 1961, scoring 5788 runs at an average of 36.40 and hit 17 centuries. Under his leadership, Baroda also won the Ranji Trophy in the 1957-58 season. Gaekwad’s son Anshuman also represented India and even coached the national team.
Gaekwad became India’s oldest living Test cricketer in 2016 after the death of former batter Deepak Shodhan at the age of 87 in Ahmedabad. After Gaekwad’s demise, the oldest living Test cricketer from India is now C Gopinath, at 93 years and 353 days.
England will resume day three from 207/2 and are having a deficit of 238 against India, with opener Ben Duckett resuming from 133 not out. For India, veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who took his 500th Test wicket when he dismissed Zak Crawley on day two, pulled out of the remainder of the match overnight due to a family medical emergency.