Pahlan ‘Polly’ Umrigar - not many of you will be familiar with this name. Polly Umrigar was a former Indian captain who played 59 Tests between 1948 and 1962. He held the record of highest Tests played and highest runs scored by any Indian before the Gavaskar era; he was also the first Indian to score a double ton, this heroic figures of Indian cricket, was suffering from a lymph cancer and succumbed to the disease last night at his residence in Mumbai.
Polly led India to two wins in eight Tests that he captained, this coming in an era when the Indians were a growing squad and were considered minnows of the game. He was one of the greatest all-rounders in cricket, along with being an outstanding batsman he even rolled his arm over; He bowled fast off-breaks from his six-foot frame and claimed 35 wickets in his international career.
After hanging his boots from international cricket, Umrigar continued to serve Indian cricket - he served as the chairman of the selection committee, executive secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India and as a curator at the Wankhede stadium - he also managed Indian teams to Australia, New Zealand & the West Indies.
He was an extremely gifted cricketer with a great cricketing mind it is very difficult to replicate such talents; his demise is a great loss for Indian Cricket.
Via: Cricinfo
