Duleepsinhji

Kumar Shri Duleepsinhji (13 June 1905 – 5 December 1959), often known as Duleep or K. S. Duleepsinhji, was an Indian international cricketer who represented the English cricket team. He was a right handed batsman and an occasional leg break bowler. Playing in the era before the Indian Independence and the establishment of the Indian cricket team, he played first class cricket in the United Kingdom and later represented the England team.

Descended from the royal family of Nawanagar, Duleepsinhji was born on the Kathiawar peninsula in present-day Gujarat. He was educated at the Rajkot, before moving to England where he attended Cheltenham College and Cambridge University. He represented Sussex in the English county championship, whom he captained later. He was one of the most prolific scorers in first class cricket with more than 15,000 runs including 50 centuries at an average just below 50. He was a slip fielder and took 256 catches. Though he had a short test career, he scored 995 runs at an average of 58.52 and has one of the highest averages in the history of test cricket.

Post his cricketing career, Duleepsinhji served as the High Commissioner of India in Australia and New Zealand and later as the chairman of the Public Service Commission in Saurashtra. Duleep Trophy, one of the premier first class cricket competitions in India is named after him.

Early and personal life
Duleepsinhji was born on 13 June 1905 in Nawanagar, Kathiawar, British India (present day Gujarat, India). He was from the royal family of Nawanagar state and his siblings included Himmatsinhji, the first Lieutenant-Governor of Himachal Pradesh and Digvijaysinhji, who became the ruler of Nawanagar. Ranjitsinhji, after whom the Indian premier first class cricket competition Ranji Trophy is named, was his uncle. He was educated at the Rajkumar College, Rajkot, before moving to England where he attended Cheltenham College and Cambridge University.

Early years
Duleepsinhji represented Cheltenham Cricket Club from 1921 to 1923 and captained the side later. He had a batting average average of 52.36 with his highest score being 162 and took 50 wickets at an average of 13.66 runs with his leg breaks. In 1925, he moved to study in Cambridge University and represented the Cambridge University Cricket Club till 1928. In 1927, he scored his highest score of 254 against Middlesex which was the highest for Cambridge.

County career
Duleepsinhji made his first class debut for Sussex in 1926. He did not play the 1927 English cricket season due to suffering from a pulmonary disease and recuperated in Switzerland.

He returned to play for Sussex in 1928 and scored more than 2500 runs in each of the next three seasons. In the 1930 English cricket season, he made his top score of 333 runs on a single day against Northamptonshire which is the highest score by a Sussex batter till date. He scored centuries in each of the two innings three times in his career.

In 1931, he was appointed the captain of Sussex and had his most prolific year scoring 12 centuries with four of them in successive innings. He retired from first class cricket in 1932 due to illness. He was one of the most prolific scorers in first class cricket with more than 15,485 runs including 50 centuries at an average of 49.95 with 9,178 runs including 35 centuries at an average of 51.56 for Sussex. He headed the batting average charts in the County championship in every season from 1926 to 1932. He was a prolific slip fielder and took 256 catches.

Test career
He made his test debut for England against the visiting South African team in June 1929. His only tour abroad was with the Marylebone Cricket Club team in Australia and New Zealand in 1929-30, when he was the top scorer. In June 1930, he made his highest score of 173 in his first match against the Australian team at Lord's. Harold Gilligan, the captain rated him the best player of slow bowling on a wet pitch that he ever saw.

Duleep had to withdraw from the MCC team for the bodyline tour of Australia in 1932. He made 12 appearances in tests and scored 995 runs at an average of 58.52 and has one of the highest averages in the history of test cricket.

Public service
Following his playing career, he served as the High Commissioner of India in Australia and New Zealand and later as the chairman of the Public Service Commission of Saurashtra after his return to India.

Death
Duleepsinhji died on 5 December 1959, following a heart attack, in Bombay.

Awards and honors

 * Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1930)

Legacy
Duleep Trophy, one of the premier first class cricket competitions in India is named after him.