The Hindu : Sport : Polly Umrigar dead

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Wednesday, Nov 08, 2006
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Polly Umrigar dead

Polly Umrigar.

Mumbai : Former Indian captain Polly Umrigar died here on Tuesday. He was ailing from cancer for almost a year and died at 8.30 p.m. at his residence. He was 80.

A six-footer and powerfully built, Polly Umrigar was a veritable giant in Indian cricket both for his physical attributes and his achievements in the field.

Beginning his Test career against the West Indies at Bombay in 1948-49, Polly Umrigar played 59 matches and scored 3631 runs including 12 centuries and 14 half centuries for an average of 42.22.

An accurate off spinner, Poly changed to medium pace while opening the bowling for India.

He was the first Indian to hit a Test double century.

Polly Umrigar was the first Indian run machine before the arrival of Sunil Gavaskar in the scene.

When he decided to call it quits, after a career spanning 14 years, Polly was in possession of all Indian batting records — most Tests, most runs, most hundreds. A shrewd captain, he led India in eight Tests with a tally of two wins, two losses and four matches drawn.

He is only one of two Indian cricketers (Vinoo Mankad being the other) to score a century and take five wickets in an innings — a feat he achieved against West Indies at Port of Spain in 1962.

He was born on March 28, 1926 in Sholapur. — Agencies

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