Vijay Samuel Hazare (11 March 1915 – 18 December 2004) was an Indian cricketer who captained the Indian Test team and is regarded as one of India's finest batsmen of the immediate pre- and post-Independence era. A right-handed middle-order batsman and a useful right-arm medium-pace bowler, Hazare became the first Indian to score a Test century against every Test-playing nation of his time and led India to its first ever Test victory.
| Full name | Vijay Samuel Hazare |
|---|---|
| Born | 11 March 1915, Sangli, Bombay Presidency, British India |
| Died | 18 December 2004, Vadodara, Gujarat, India |
| Batting | Right-handed |
| Bowling | Right-arm medium pace |
| Role | Batsman, all-rounder |
| Test debut | 22 June 1946, vs England at Lord's |
| Final Test | 1952–53, vs West Indies |
| Tests played | 30 |
| Tests as captain | 14 |
| Domestic teams | Maharashtra, Baroda, Central India |
| Honour | Padma Shri (1960) |
| Memorial | Vijay Hazare Trophy (BCCI domestic List A tournament) |
Hazare was born on 11 March 1915 in Sangli, in the Bombay Presidency, into a Maharashtrian Christian family. He was the seventh of eight children. He took up cricket at a young age and came under the early influence of the Australian coach Clarrie Grimmett, the noted leg-spinner, whose tutelage helped refine his batting technique and concentration.
In his early career he was associated with the princely state of Sangli, and later played for Dewas and Baroda, where he came under the patronage of the Maharaja of Baroda. He served in the Maharaja's establishment and made Baroda his cricketing home for the bulk of his career.
Hazare's first-class career, which began in the mid-1930s and extended into the late 1950s, was marked by enormous run-scoring feats in the Ranji Trophy. He played for Maharashtra and Baroda, winning the Ranji Trophy with both. Notable performances include:
His record-breaking partnership of 577 with Gul Mohammad for the fourth wicket for Baroda against Holkar in that 1946–47 final stood as the world record first-class partnership for any wicket for several decades.
Hazare made his Test debut against England at Lord's in 1946, on India's first post-war tour. His major Test achievements include:
In 30 Tests he scored 2,192 runs at an average of around 47, with 7 centuries. As captain he led India in 14 Tests between 1951 and 1953, including tours to England (1952) and the West Indies (1952–53).
Hazare captained India during a difficult period that included the heavy defeat at Headingley in 1952, where India famously slipped to 0 for 4 in the second innings against Fred Trueman. He was succeeded as captain by Vinoo Mankad and later by Lala Amarnath and Ghulam Ahmed.
After retirement from international cricket in the mid-1950s, Hazare continued in first-class cricket for a few more seasons and later served as a national selector. He settled in Vadodara, Gujarat, and remained associated with the game in administrative and advisory roles. He died in Vadodara on 18 December 2004, aged 89.
Hazare's career bridges the colonial and post-Independence eras of Indian cricket. He gave Indian batting a new sense of technical solidity and big-innings appetite at a time when the team was establishing itself in international cricket. His captaincy delivered India's first Test win and first Test series win, milestones that mark him as a foundational figure in the country's cricketing history. The annual List A tournament bearing his name keeps his legacy in active circulation in Indian domestic cricket.