Jasu Patel
Encyclopedia
Jasubhai Motibhai Patel (November 26, 1924, Ahmedabad
, Gujarat – December 12, 1992, Ahmedabad) was an off-spinner
who played Test cricket
for Indian cricket team
. His fame lies entirely on a single match against Australia
where he took 14 wicket
s.
He took 35 wickets at the average of 10 in the tour of Pakistan in 1954-55 but played in only one Test. In the first five years of his career he played only four Tests in which he took ten wickets. He was already thirty five and on the verge of retirement when he enjoyed his one great success against Australia at Kanpur
in 1959-60.
Australia came to India on the back of convincing wins over England
and Pakistan
. For India, the loss in the first Test of the series was their fifth innings defeat of the year. Kanpur had a newly laid pitch. Patel was picked as a gamble, on the insistence of the chairman of selectors, Lala Amarnath
.
left-handed off an attempted big hit. At lunch, Australia were well on top at 128 for 1. Till that point of time, Patel had bowled from the city end, where had not been able to exploit the footmarks created by the left arm bowlers Davidson and Ian Meckiff
. Amarnath presumably had a word with captain Ramchand
during the lunch. Patel switched to the pavilion end after the break.
Patel's first ball after lunch went between the bat and pad to bowl Colin McDonald. Norman O'Neill
who replaced him was all at sea and offered an easy chance to Bapu Nadkarni
at midwicket, who missed it. This was to deprive Patel of a chance to take all the ten wickets. Neil Harvey
completed fifty before he was bowled. Patel pitched one well outside left-handed Harvey's off-stump. Harvey raised the bat and left it but the ball to cut back and hit the stumps.
Once Harvey was out, the others followed quickly. Alan Davidson
hit out at the end to take the score to 219. O'Neill, bowled by a full-toss from Chandu Borde
, was the only wicket that Patel missed. His figures were 9 for 69.
India batted much better in the second innings to set Australia 225 to win in 400 minutes. Patel dismissed Stevens and Polly Umrigar
took the important wicket of Harvey before close of the fourth day. Umrigar took two more wickets on the final morning to reduce Australia to 61 for 4. Patel took 4 of the remaining five wickets, Gordon Rorke
being unable to bat. Australia was allout for 105 and India won by 119 runs. It was India's first win over Australia.
Patel's 14 for 124 were the best bowling figures by an Indian bowler. It remained so for nearly thirty years before it was bettered another one-Test wonder, Narendra Hirwani
.
. He and Vijay Hazare
were the first cricketers to be honoured with the Padma Shri
.
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
, Gujarat – December 12, 1992, Ahmedabad) was an off-spinner
Off spin
Off spin is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket which is bowled by an off spinner, a right-handed spin bowler who uses his or her fingers and/or wrist to spin the ball from a right-handed batsman's off side to the leg side...
who played Test cricket
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
for Indian cricket team
Indian cricket team
The Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
. His fame lies entirely on a single match against Australia
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
where he took 14 wicket
Wicket
In the sport of cricket the word wicket has several distinct meanings:-Definitions of wicket:Most of the time, the wicket is one of the two sets of three stumps and two bails at either end of the pitch...
s.
Early days
At the age of ten, he broke his arm falling from a tree. Because of this injury he had a jerky bowling action, which some considered suspicious. He bowled off-cutters more than conventional off breaks. He was particularly dangerous on matting wickets where he got prodigious turn.He took 35 wickets at the average of 10 in the tour of Pakistan in 1954-55 but played in only one Test. In the first five years of his career he played only four Tests in which he took ten wickets. He was already thirty five and on the verge of retirement when he enjoyed his one great success against Australia at Kanpur
Green Park Stadium
Green Park Stadium is a 60,000 capacity floodlit multi-purpose stadium located in Kanpur, India, and the home of the Uttar Pradesh cricket team. The stadium is under the control of the Sports Department Uttar Pradesh...
in 1959-60.
Australia came to India on the back of convincing wins over England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
and Pakistan
Pakistani cricket team
The Pakistan cricket team is the national cricket team of Pakistan. Pakistan, represented by the Pakistan Cricket Board , is a full member of the International Cricket Council, and thus participates in , and cricket matches....
. For India, the loss in the first Test of the series was their fifth innings defeat of the year. Kanpur had a newly laid pitch. Patel was picked as a gamble, on the insistence of the chairman of selectors, Lala Amarnath
Lala Amarnath
Nanik Amarnath Bhardwaj was an Indian Test cricketer. He was the first cricketer to score a Test century for the Indian cricket team, which he achieved on debut...
.
"Patel's Test"
India was out for 152 before close on the first day. Patel got his first wicket on the second morning when he caught Gavin StevensGavin Stevens
Gavin Byron Stevens is a former Australian cricketer who played in 4 Tests from 1959 to 1960....
left-handed off an attempted big hit. At lunch, Australia were well on top at 128 for 1. Till that point of time, Patel had bowled from the city end, where had not been able to exploit the footmarks created by the left arm bowlers Davidson and Ian Meckiff
Ian Meckiff
Ian Meckiff is a former cricketer who represented Australia in 18 Tests between 1957 and 1963...
. Amarnath presumably had a word with captain Ramchand
Gulabrai Ramchand
Gulabrai Sipahimalani 'Ram' Ramchand was an Indian cricketer who captained India to a famous win against Australia in his only series as captain....
during the lunch. Patel switched to the pavilion end after the break.
Patel's first ball after lunch went between the bat and pad to bowl Colin McDonald. Norman O'Neill
Norm O'Neill
Norman Clifford O'Neill OAM was an cricketer who played for New South Wales and Australia. A right-handed batsman known for his back foot strokeplay, O'Neill made his state debut aged 18, before progressing to Test selection aged 21 in late 1958...
who replaced him was all at sea and offered an easy chance to Bapu Nadkarni
Bapu Nadkarni
Rameshchandra Gangaram 'Bapu' Nadkarni was an Indian cricketer. He is mainly known for being an economical bowler.-Career:...
at midwicket, who missed it. This was to deprive Patel of a chance to take all the ten wickets. Neil Harvey
Neil Harvey
Robert Neil Harvey MBE is a former Australian cricketer who represented the Australian cricket team between 1948 and 1963, playing in 79 Test matches. He was the vice-captain of the team from 1957 until his retirement...
completed fifty before he was bowled. Patel pitched one well outside left-handed Harvey's off-stump. Harvey raised the bat and left it but the ball to cut back and hit the stumps.
Once Harvey was out, the others followed quickly. Alan Davidson
Alan Davidson (cricketer)
Alan Keith Davidson, AM, MBE is a former Australian cricketer of the 1950s and 1960s. He was an all rounder: a hard-hitting lower-order left-handed batsman, and an outstanding left-arm fast-medium opening bowler...
hit out at the end to take the score to 219. O'Neill, bowled by a full-toss from Chandu Borde
Chandu Borde
Chandrakant Gulabrao "Chandu" Borde born 21 July 1934 in Poona In Marathi Christian Family, is a ex-cricketer who was a member of the Indian team between 1958 and 1970. Following his retirement, Borde became a cricket administrator, serving as the Chairman of national selectors...
, was the only wicket that Patel missed. His figures were 9 for 69.
India batted much better in the second innings to set Australia 225 to win in 400 minutes. Patel dismissed Stevens and Polly Umrigar
Polly Umrigar
Pahlan Ratanji "Polly" Umrigar was an Indian cricketer. He played first-class cricket for Bombay, and Test cricket in the Indian cricket team, mainly as a middle-order batsman but also bowling occasional medium pace and off spin. He captained the Indian team in eight Test matches from 1955 to...
took the important wicket of Harvey before close of the fourth day. Umrigar took two more wickets on the final morning to reduce Australia to 61 for 4. Patel took 4 of the remaining five wickets, Gordon Rorke
Gordon Rorke
Gordon Frederick Rorke is a former Australian cricketer who played in 4 Tests in 1959.Rorke made his Test debut in January 1959 in the Fourth Test of The Ashes series against England in Adelaide...
being unable to bat. Australia was allout for 105 and India won by 119 runs. It was India's first win over Australia.
Patel's 14 for 124 were the best bowling figures by an Indian bowler. It remained so for nearly thirty years before it was bettered another one-Test wonder, Narendra Hirwani
Narendra Hirwani
Narendra Deepchand Hirwani is a leg spin bowler who played for India. He is mainly remembered for his outstanding success on his Test debut.-Early days:...
.
Remaining career
The Kanpur Test stayed as the lone bright spot in Patel's career. He played two more Tests in the series for five wickets. These were his last Test matches. He played two more years of first class cricket and ended up with 140 wickets for Gujarat in the Ranji TrophyRanji Trophy
The Ranji Trophy is a domestic first-class cricket championship played in India between different city and state sides, equivalent to the County Championship in England and the Sheffield Shield in Australia...
. He and Vijay Hazare
Vijay Hazare
Vijay Samuel Hazare was an Indian cricket player from the state of Maharashtra. He captained the Indian cricket team in 14 matches between 1951 and 1953...
were the first cricketers to be honoured with the Padma Shri
Padma Shri
Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
.