Dattajirao Krishnarao Gaekwad, commonly known as Datta Gaekwad, was an Indian cricketer who played for the India national cricket team in the mid-twentieth century. A right-handed batsman, he is most widely remembered for captaining India on the tour of England in 1959.
| Full name | Dattajirao Krishnarao Gaekwad |
|---|---|
| Born | 1928 |
| Died | 2024 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Role | Batsman |
| Batting style | Right-handed |
| Domestic team | Baroda |
| National team | India |
| Captaincy | India tour of England, 1959 |
Background
Gaekwad came from the city of Baroda (now Vadodara) in Gujarat, a region with a long-standing cricketing tradition associated with the patronage of the princely state of Baroda. He represented Baroda in domestic first-class cricket, including the Ranji Trophy, where the side was among the leading teams of its era.
Career
Gaekwad made his Test debut for India in the early 1950s. As a top-order batsman, he was selected for several Test series during a period in which Indian cricket was establishing itself in the international arena.
His most prominent assignment came in 1959, when he was appointed captain of the Indian team for the tour of England. The tour comprised a five-match Test series against the host side. He continued to feature in domestic cricket for Baroda thereafter, and remained associated with Indian cricket through coaching and selection roles in later years.
Significance
Gaekwad belongs to the generation of Indian cricketers who played in the decades immediately after independence, when the national team was still building its international experience. His tenure as captain, and his long association with Baroda cricket, place him among the notable figures in Indian first-class cricket of the 1950s and 1960s.
Personal life
Gaekwad was born in 1928 and died in 2024, having lived to the age of 96. His son, Anshuman Gaekwad, also represented India in Test cricket and later served in coaching and administrative roles in Indian cricket, making the Gaekwads one of the well-known cricketing families in the country.
Related topics
- India national cricket team
- Baroda cricket team
- Ranji Trophy
- Anshuman Gaekwad
- List of India Test cricket captains
- India cricket team in England in 1959
References
- Wikidata entry: Q3520036