Oldest Indian first-class cricketer Vasant Raiji dies in his sleep at the age of 100.
Vasant Raiji is a right-handed batsman who had his first-class debut in the Cricket Club of India’s festival match in 1939. By 1941, he played for Mumbai and had his debut on a match against Western India.
His decade-long career has been affected by the Second World War. However, it did not stop his passion for cricket as he later turned out to be a cricket historian who has authored several books.
Raiji had been considered as the world’s oldest living first-class cricketer when he had turned 100 this year. In fact, he was visited by players Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, and Steve Waugh on his centenary birthday.
At his home in Mumbai is where he is survived by his wife and two daughters. His passing was confirmed by his son-in-law Sudarshan Nanavati by saying, ‘He (Raiji) passed away at 2:20 AM in his sleep at his residence in Walkeshwar, South Mumbai due to old age’.
In his nine first-class matches, he was able to score a total of 277 runs at an average of 23.08. He also scored two half-centuries in the same game of Baroda against Maharashtra in a Ranji Trophy game held in 1944. To learn more about the other formats of cricket aside from first-class cricket, visit Betwala.
READ MORE: A Beginner’s Guide on How to Play Cricket
