Anilkumar Abhayankar (1939–2016) was an Indian first-class cricketer. He represented sides in domestic Indian cricket during the mid-twentieth century, a period when the Ranji Trophy and other domestic competitions were the principal stage for cricketers in the country.
| Full name | Anilkumar Abhayankar |
|---|---|
| Born | 1939 |
| Died | 2016 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Sport | Cricket |
| Level | First-class cricket (domestic Indian cricket) |
Abhayankar was active in Indian domestic cricket, which during his playing era was organised primarily around the Ranji Trophy, the inter-state first-class competition administered by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The Ranji Trophy, established in 1934, served as the main developmental platform for Indian cricketers and the principal pathway to national selection.
Abhayankar is recorded as a first-class cricketer in databases of Indian players from his generation. Players from this period typically appeared in matches contested under the zonal structure of Indian domestic cricket, which divided participating teams into regional zones before knockout stages.
Cricketers such as Abhayankar form part of the broader history of Indian first-class cricket in the post-independence decades, a period that saw the consolidation of state associations, the expansion of domestic tournaments, and the gradual rise of India as a competitive force in international cricket.