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Montu Banerjee

Montu Banerjee (1919–1992) was an Indian first-class cricketer associated with cricket in India during the mid-twentieth century. He played in the era when Indian domestic cricket was structured around the Ranji Trophy, the national first-class championship inaugurated in 1934.

Key facts

Full name Montu Banerjee
Born 1919
Died 1992
Nationality Indian
Sport Cricket
Level First-class

Background

Banerjee belonged to the generation of Indian cricketers whose careers spanned the late colonial period and the early decades after Indian independence in 1947. This was a formative period for organised cricket in India, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), founded in 1928, consolidating the domestic structure and India's standing in international Test cricket, which it had entered in 1932.

Career

Banerjee competed at the first-class level in Indian domestic cricket. The principal first-class competition during his playing years was the Ranji Trophy, contested by regional and state associations affiliated to the BCCI. Other first-class fixtures of the period included matches involving touring sides, zonal teams, and representative XIs.

Significance

As a first-class cricketer of the 1940s era, Banerjee was part of the pool of players from whom Indian regional sides drew their strength during a transitional phase of Indian cricket, before the expansion of competitions such as the Duleep Trophy (introduced in 1961) and the later professionalisation of the domestic game.

References