Some Famous Parsi Test Cricketers for India

The Parsis are a significant minority in India who have contributed in their own way to the development of India. Thus, even in the field of cricket, his contribution is not insignificant. Before the partition, when the home run was played they formed one of the teams together with Hindus, Muslims and Europeans.

After independence, the homer was dropped, but quite a few Parsis gave the colors of India. One of the most prominent Parsis was Polly Umrigar. During the fifties and early sixties she was the best batsman in India. The fact that he scored over 3600 runs with a batting average of 42 is proof enough of the caliber of him when most other hitters averaged just 35 (Pataudi, Borde, etc.). He was also the first Indian to hit a double century in Test cricket with 223 innings against New Zealand during his tour of India in 1956.

If Umrigar had a weakness it was genuine pace and as such he did not have much success in England against Fred Truman during the 1952 tour. But later in his career he overcame this weakness and during the 1958-59 tour of the Indies Westerners to India, he bravely faced Hall and Gilchrist.

After Umrigar, the next Parsi that comes to mind was Nariman Jahangir Contractor. He was a left-handed starter who had a classic style. He was also captain of India against Ted Dexter’s team which toured India in 1961-62. Contractors’ record as a starter was average, but he had solid defense and was praised by Australian captain Richie Benaud during the Australian tour of India in 1959. Contractor also marked a century in Bombay. However, the contractors’ technique failed him in the fast terrain of the West Indies and he was hit by a ferocious delivery from Charlie Griffith with only emergency surgery saving his life.

Contractor recovered and continued to play for Bombay, but his potential was never fully realized as he totaled just over 1,600 runs at an average of 31.

Then we have the player Russi Modi, not to be confused with the Russi Modi who was chairman of Tata Steel. Modi played very few matches, but during the West Indies tour of India in 1948, Modi along with Hazare played many stellar innings. He totaled 560 runs in that series. But he faded away and was for a long time the president of the ICC.

During MCC’s tour of India in 1962, a goalkeeper batsman made his appearance. He was Engineer Farrukh. People talk about Dhoni now, but I’d say Farrukh was a little above most goalkeeper batsmen. He was a flamboyant bowler who attacked bowling early on. One cannot forget his innings in the third test against the West Indies in 1966. The engineer opened the batting and soon the West Indies’ men of terror, Wes Hall and Charlie Griffith, were glued all over the ground. The races were flowing like water and Sobers, the captain of the West Indies, was worried. Farrukh was approaching a century before lunch when an alarmed Sobers adopted delaying tactics to deny Farrukh a century before lunch. He went 94 not out at lunch and eventually made 109. Farrukh hit over 2000 runs in Test cricket and was also a polished goalkeeper behind the gloves. His upkeep of the spinners was exceptional.

Farrukh retired from the game and moved to England. Many more Parsis played for India, but these are the ones that made the biggest impact.