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Chetan Chauhan

Chetan Pratap Singh Chauhan (21 July 1947 – 16 August 2020) was an Indian cricketer and politician. He played Test cricket for India between 1969 and 1981, and was best known for his opening partnerships with Sunil Gavaskar. After retiring from the game, he became active in public life as a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and served as a Member of Parliament and as a cabinet minister in the Government of Uttar Pradesh.

Key facts

Full name Chetan Pratap Singh Chauhan
Born 21 July 1947, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh
Died 16 August 2020
Batting style Right-handed opening batsman
Test debut 1969, vs New Zealand
Domestic teams Maharashtra, Delhi
Political party Bharatiya Janata Party
Constituency (Lok Sabha) Amroha, Uttar Pradesh
Honour Arjuna Award (1981)

Background and early life

Chauhan was born in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, and grew up in Pune, Maharashtra. He attended Wadia College and later studied at the University of Pune, where he made his mark in university cricket. He captained the Indian Universities team and was instrumental in their wins in inter-zonal competition, which brought him to national attention.

Domestic career

Chauhan made his first-class debut for Maharashtra in the Ranji Trophy in the late 1960s. He later moved to Delhi, where he played a leading role for the state side and helped Delhi establish itself as a strong force in the Ranji Trophy during the 1970s and early 1980s. He was known for his application, defensive technique and ability to bat long periods at the top of the order.

International career

Chauhan made his Test debut against New Zealand in 1969. After being out of the side for a few years, he returned in the late 1970s and went on to form one of the most reliable opening partnerships in Indian Test history alongside Sunil Gavaskar. The pair shared a number of century stands, including a celebrated double-century opening partnership against Australia.

He played 40 Test matches for India, scoring over 2,000 runs. A notable feature of his Test career is that he never scored a Test century, despite recording several scores in the nineties, a statistical curiosity that is often cited in Indian cricket history. He also played in seven One Day Internationals. His final Test was on the 1980–81 tour of Australia and New Zealand.

Off-field roles in cricket

After retiring as a player, Chauhan took on administrative and managerial roles. He served as the manager of the Indian cricket team on overseas tours, including the 2001 tour of South Africa. He was also associated with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as a national selector.

Political career

Chauhan joined the Bharatiya Janata Party and contested the Lok Sabha elections from the Amroha constituency in Uttar Pradesh, which he won twice — in 1991 and again in 1998. In later years he was elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly from the Naugawan Sadat constituency in Amroha district, and served as a cabinet minister in the Yogi Adityanath government, holding portfolios that included Sainik Welfare, Home Guards and Civil Defence.

Honours and recognition

  • Arjuna Award (1981) for outstanding contribution to Indian cricket.
  • Long-serving opener regarded as a key figure in India's batting line-up of the late 1970s.

Death

Chauhan died on 16 August 2020 at the age of 73 after being hospitalised with COVID-19-related complications and subsequent organ failure. Tributes were paid by the cricketing fraternity and political leaders across parties.

Significance

Chauhan is remembered as a dependable opening batsman whose partnerships with Sunil Gavaskar provided India with stable starts during a period when the team relied heavily on its top order. His later career as a cricket administrator and politician made him one of the few Indian cricketers to have a sustained second innings in public life.

References