Hemant Kanitkar (1942–2015) was an Indian first-class cricketer who represented India in two Test matches during the 1974–75 home series against the West Indies. A right-handed batsman, he had a long and productive career in domestic cricket, primarily for Maharashtra in the Ranji Trophy.
| Full name | Hemant Shamsunder Kanitkar |
|---|---|
| Born | 1942 |
| Died | 2015 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Batting | Right-handed |
| Domestic team | Maharashtra |
| Test debut | 1974–75, vs West Indies |
| Tests played | 2 |
Kanitkar belonged to the cricketing community of Pune, Maharashtra, a city with a long tradition of contributing players to Indian domestic cricket. He developed his game on the regional circuit and emerged as a dependable middle-order batsman in the Ranji Trophy.
Kanitkar played first-class cricket for Maharashtra over an extended period, scoring runs consistently in the Ranji Trophy and other domestic competitions. His steady form in the early 1970s brought him to the attention of the national selectors.
He was selected for the Indian Test side during the West Indies tour of India in 1974–75, a series notable for the visit of a strong Caribbean team featuring Clive Lloyd, Andy Roberts and others. Kanitkar's Test appearances were limited to two matches in that series, and he did not play Test cricket thereafter.
Following his playing career, Kanitkar continued to be associated with cricket in Maharashtra in coaching and administrative capacities, contributing to the development of younger players in the state.
His son, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, also became an India international cricketer, best remembered for hitting the winning boundary in the 1998 Independence Cup final against Pakistan in Dhaka. Hrishikesh later moved into coaching at the domestic and national levels.
Although his international career was brief, Hemant Kanitkar is remembered as a stalwart of Maharashtra cricket and as part of a cricketing family that bridged two generations of Indian representation. His career reflects the pathway of many domestic-level Indian cricketers of his era who earned brief Test exposure on the strength of sustained Ranji Trophy performances.