G S Ramchand

This is a hard to believe but no one will dare to challenge the fact that when it comes to counting of Sindhi contribution to sporting arena of India, finger tips prove sufficient. This is also fact whenever a sindhi enters into sporting field, most of times he goes to touch and create new heights and record this may be Narendra Hirwani – the world record creator leg spin bowler or teen-age Billiards and Snooker World Champion Pankaj Advani. If we go further deep in history, when Indian cricket team register ever first Test match victory against Australia, Indian team was being led by none else but a sindhi “Ramchand Gulabrai Sipahimalani” famous as G S Ramchand.

G S Ramchand was born on 26th July 1927 at Karachi Sindh and has represented India in 33 Tests. He was a hard-hitting batsman, very accurate bowler with brisk medium pace deliveries and reliable fine close fielder, who started cricketing career with England tour in 1952. His first-class debut was the match between Sindh and Maharashtra in the season 1945-1946. After partition he shifted to Mumbai.

In his debut test he scored a pair at Headingly against Len Hutton’s strong England team, though he took couple of wickets. In this test he faced successfully Alec Bedser and Fred Trueman but still become 16 th Indian Player [at that time] to have pair by falling prey to less dangerous bowling of Jim Laker [first Inning] and Godfrey Evans [Second Inning]. In his test career he crossed the three figures twice, both times on home soil, first one unbeaten 106 against New Zealand at Kolkata in 1955-56, and the second the innings he is most remembered for – 109 at Bombay against the mighty Australian attack of Ray Lindwall, Alan Davidson and Richie Benaud in 1956, this inning become significant as when he steps in India was struggling at 74 for 4 and his inning helped the Indian team to end the test with a creditable draw.

Beside scoring 1,180 runs at 24.58 he took 41 wickets at 46.31 in 33 test he played. In 145 first class matches scored 6026 runs with average of 36.30- and 16-ton knocks, but for Bombay [Mumbai] his record was incredible averaging very high at 75.55 even his first-class highest runs 230 not out were scored for Mumbai against Maharashtra not only this but also his best bowling performance 8 for 12 against Sourashtra in 1959 was also for Mumbai. He also played in the English Cricket League for six year from 1951 to 1957. He retired from first class cricket in 1965-1966 and kept on working with Air India. G S Ramchand died of heart attack at Hinduja Hospital on  08 September 2003.

The most remarkable test of his life was Kanpur Test in [1959 -1960 series] against the touring Australian team lead by Richie Benaud. He was captain of Indian team and went on to record ever first test win against the Australia. He was famous for him love and passion for cricket. It is said that the day before he died, he sent his wife out from his bedside at the Hinduja Hospital in Mumbai to get the latest score in the Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh.

G S Ramchand was the first cricketer who endorsed a commercial and was the team manager of Indian team participated in ever first ODI World Cup in 1975. Following words of famous Australian Cricket Captain Mark Taylor, are truly expressing greatness of this player of unmatched caliber “Sir, my name is Mark Taylor. I am here to receive an award on behalf of my team. Can I request to shake the hand with the man who led India to their first win over us.”