Polly Umrigar Passes Away at 80

Former India captain Polly Umrigar died today at the age of 80 after losing a battle with lymph cancer.

Umrigar, a solid batsman from Mumbai, scored 3,631 runs at an average of 42.22 over 59 Tests – eight of which were as captain – in a Test career that spanned from 1948 to 1962.

He hit twelve Test hundreds, including the first double-hundred by an Indian against New Zealand at Hyderabad in 1955 and held the majority of Indian batting records until the arrival of Sunil Gavaskar several years later. Umrigar also bowled quickish off-breaks from a strong six-foot frame, which brought him 35 Test wickets, and was an agile fielder. His first-class career yielded 16155 runs, 325 wickets and 217 catches in all.

Following his retirement, he continued to be an influential figure within Indian cricket, serving as BCCI executive secretary, tour manager and chairman of selectors, and also as the chief curator at the Wankhede stadium, Mumbai.