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Vinoo Mankad

Overview

Mulvantrai Himmatlal "Vinoo" Mankad was an Indian cricketer, regarded as one of the finest all-rounders the country has produced. A left-handed batsman and a left-arm orthodox spin bowler, he represented India in 44 Test matches between 1946 and 1959. He is best remembered for his record-breaking opening partnership of 413 with Pankaj Roy against New Zealand in 1956, his all-round feats against England, and for lending his name—somewhat controversially—to the cricketing dismissal known as "Mankading".

Key Facts

Full name Mulvantrai Himmatlal Mankad
Known as Vinoo Mankad
Born 12 April 1917, Jamnagar, Kathiawar Agency, British India
Died 21 August 1978, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Role All-rounder (left-hand batsman, left-arm orthodox spin)
Test debut 22 June 1946 vs England, Lord's
Last Test February 1959 vs West Indies
Tests played 44
Domestic teams Western India, Nawanagar, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Bengal, Bombay, Rajasthan
Honours Padma Bhushan (1973); ICC Cricket Hall of Fame (2021)

Background and Early Life

Mankad was born in Jamnagar in present-day Gujarat. He was coached in his youth by Albert Wensley, the former Sussex professional engaged by the Nawanagar royal family, and later benefited from the guidance of Amar Singh and Duleepsinhji. He made his first-class debut in 1935–36 for Western India and quickly established himself as a leading domestic all-rounder during the late 1930s and 1940s.

International Career

1946 Tour of England

Mankad announced himself on India's 1946 tour of England, completing the rare double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets on the tour. He made his Test debut at Lord's that summer.

Australia 1947–48

On India's first tour of Australia, Mankad scored two Test centuries, including 116 at Melbourne. It was during this tour, in a match against an Australian XI, that he ran out the non-striker Bill Brown after warning him for backing up too far—an incident from which the term "Mankading" arose.

1952 Lord's Test

In the second Test against England at Lord's in June 1952, Mankad delivered one of the greatest individual all-round performances in Test history: 72 in the first innings, 184 in the second, and bowling 97 overs in the match to take 5 wickets. The contest is often referred to as "Mankad's Test".

413-run Partnership

In the Madras Test against New Zealand in January–February 1956, Mankad and Pankaj Roy put on 413 for the first wicket, in which Mankad scored 231. The partnership stood as the world record for the highest opening stand in Test cricket for 52 years, until it was broken in 2008. Mankad's 231 also remained an Indian individual Test record for several decades.

Test record summary

  • 2,109 runs at an average of 31.47, with 5 centuries.
  • 162 wickets at 32.32, with 8 five-wicket hauls and 2 ten-wicket match hauls.
  • The first cricketer to achieve the all-rounder's double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in Tests in the fewest matches (23), a record long held.

Domestic and Ranji Trophy Career

Mankad represented several teams in the Ranji Trophy, including Western India, Nawanagar, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Bengal, Bombay and Rajasthan. He led Bombay and later Rajasthan, helping the latter become a strong force in the early 1960s. He also played in the Lancashire League in England, where he was professional for Haslingden.

The "Mankading" Dismissal

The act of a bowler running out a non-striking batsman who leaves the crease before the ball is delivered came to be informally called "Mankading" after the 1947 incident involving Bill Brown. The dismissal is fully legal under the Laws of Cricket. The MCC and ICC have, in recent years, encouraged the use of more neutral language and reclassified the mode of dismissal under "run out" rather than under "unfair play".

After Retirement

After retiring from international cricket in 1959, Mankad continued to play domestic cricket and worked as a coach in Mumbai, where he mentored several future India cricketers. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian honour, in 1973. He died in Mumbai on 21 August 1978.

Family

Mankad's son, Ashok Mankad, played 22 Tests for India and captained Bombay in domestic cricket. His grandson, Mihir Mankad, also played first-class cricket. The family has a long-standing association with cricket in Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Legacy and Honours

  • Padma Bhushan, 1973, for services to sport.
  • Inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2021.
  • The Vinoo Mankad Trophy, the BCCI's national Under-19 one-day tournament, is named in his honour.
  • Widely ranked alongside Kapil Dev as among India's greatest all-rounders.

References

  • Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) records.
  • Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), Laws of Cricket.
  • International Cricket Council, Hall of Fame inductees.
  • Government of India, Padma Awards Directory.