Jasubhai Motibhai Patel, commonly known as Jasu Patel, was an Indian cricketer who played Test cricket for India in the late 1950s. An off-break bowler, he is best remembered for his match-winning performance against Australia at Kanpur in December 1959, when he played a central role in India's first ever Test victory over Australia.
| Full name | Jasubhai Motibhai Patel |
|---|---|
| Born | 1924 |
| Died | 1992 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Role | Bowler (off-spin) |
| Bowling style | Right-arm off-break |
| National side | India |
Patel hailed from Gujarat and developed his cricket in domestic competition before being selected to represent India at international level. He was known for his accuracy and the ability to extract turn from helpful surfaces, qualities that made him a useful match-winner on Indian pitches.
Patel made his Test debut for India in the 1950s and played a small number of Tests during his international career. His most celebrated appearance came in the second Test of the 1959–60 series against Richie Benaud's touring Australian side, played at Green Park in Kanpur. Bowling on a pitch suited to spin, Patel returned a remarkable nine-wicket haul in the first innings and followed it with further wickets in the second, finishing with a match-winning performance that delivered India their maiden Test win against Australia.
The Kanpur Test of 1959 is one of the landmark results in Indian cricket history. Until that match, India had not defeated Australia in a Test, and Patel's bowling was decisive in changing that record. The performance has remained a frequent reference point when discussing Indian spin bowling and India's early Test successes against major opposition.