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Hanumant Singh

Hanumant Singh (1939–2006) was an Indian first-class cricketer who represented the India national cricket team in Test matches during the 1960s. A right-handed middle-order batsman, he is remembered for scoring a century on his Test debut, a feat achieved by only a small number of Indian cricketers.

Key facts

Full name Hanumant Singh
Born 1939
Died 2006
Nationality Indian
Role Right-handed batsman
Format Test cricket, first-class cricket
National side India

Background

Hanumant Singh belonged to the royal family of Banswara in Rajasthan. He came from a cricketing lineage; several of his brothers also played first-class cricket in India, making the family one of the more prominent contributors to Indian domestic cricket from Rajasthan during the mid-twentieth century.

Domestic career

He played in the Ranji Trophy, the premier domestic first-class competition in India. Over the course of his career he turned out for Rajasthan and, in later seasons, for other sides in the Indian domestic circuit. He was known for his orthodox technique, sound footwork against spin, and a calm temperament suited to the longer format of the game.

International career

Hanumant Singh made his Test debut for India in the 1963–64 season against England. He marked the occasion by scoring a century in his first Test innings, joining a select group of Indian batsmen to have done so. He went on to play a number of Test matches for India through the mid- and late-1960s, featuring in series at home and abroad before his international career drew to a close.

Later contributions

After retiring from active cricket, Hanumant Singh continued to be associated with the game in coaching and administrative capacities, including roles linked to the National Cricket Academy and to the development of younger cricketers in India. He was also involved with the International Cricket Council as a match referee in international fixtures.

Significance

Hanumant Singh is regarded as a notable figure of the transitional generation of Indian cricket between the post-independence era and the rise of Indian cricket as a competitive Test-playing force in the 1970s. His debut century remains a frequently cited statistic in Indian cricket history, and his post-playing engagement helped shape the structures used to train later generations of Indian cricketers.

References