Surendra Bhave
Encyclopedia
Surendra Shriram Bhave is a former India
n first-class cricket
er who played for his home state Maharashtra
from 1986 to 2001. A right-handed opening batsman, noted for his prolific run scoring and ability to built large innings, Bhave regularly captained Maharashtra throughout the 1990s.
Bhave had a strong start to his career, after making just one first-class appearance in both 1986/87 and 1987/88 he made the most of his opportunity in 1988/89 by scoring 730 runs at 91.25. Of his four hundreds that season, the biggest was an innings of 274 which he made against a Dilip Vengsarkar
led Bombay team. He would score a further six double hundreds in his career, three of them in 1992. Such was his consistency that it wasn't until 1997/98 that he ended a season with an average under 50 and he never scored less than 800 runs from 1992/93 to 1996/97.
Although Maharashtra never won the Ranji Trophy
while Bhave was at the club, he did captain them to the final in 1992/93. Playing against Punjab, Bhave failed in both innings and in the end it was a maiden first-class century to Amit Sharma
that was the difference.
Bhave played for India A in the 1992/93 SAARC Quadrangular, a limited overs series also competed for by Sri Lanka A, Bangladesh A and Pakistan A. Bhave scored 81 against the Sri Lankans and although India made the final, the contest was canceled following rioting in the host city of Dhaka.
He also represented West Zone
in the Duleep Trophy
on occasions and on the 2 December 1994 made 292 for the team in a first-class match against South Zone at Rourkela
. His 739 minute vigil ended when he was bowled by offspinner Kanwaljit Singh.
The right-hander was particularly prolific against Saurashtra during his career, plundering them for 1471 at 91.93 with seven hundreds.
According to the cricket statisician, Bill Frindall
, only four cricketers (all British
) scored more first-class runs than Bhave, without playing international cricket. These are Alan Jones
, John Langridge
, Les Berry
and Ken Suttle
. However, Bhave's career batting average of 58.18, is the highest of all time for any cricketer who has never played internationally.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
er who played for his home state Maharashtra
Maharashtra cricket team
The Maharashtra cricket team is a domestic cricket team based in the Indian state of Maharashtra in the city of Pune. It is in the Plate Group of the Ranji Trophy...
from 1986 to 2001. A right-handed opening batsman, noted for his prolific run scoring and ability to built large innings, Bhave regularly captained Maharashtra throughout the 1990s.
Bhave had a strong start to his career, after making just one first-class appearance in both 1986/87 and 1987/88 he made the most of his opportunity in 1988/89 by scoring 730 runs at 91.25. Of his four hundreds that season, the biggest was an innings of 274 which he made against a Dilip Vengsarkar
Dilip Vengsarkar
Dilip Balwant Vengsarkar is an Indian cricketer and cricket administrator. He was one of the most stylish batsmen of his time, known as one of the foremost exponents of the drive. He was also known by the nickname 'Colonel'....
led Bombay team. He would score a further six double hundreds in his career, three of them in 1992. Such was his consistency that it wasn't until 1997/98 that he ended a season with an average under 50 and he never scored less than 800 runs from 1992/93 to 1996/97.
Although Maharashtra never won the Ranji Trophy
Ranji 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...
while Bhave was at the club, he did captain them to the final in 1992/93. Playing against Punjab, Bhave failed in both innings and in the end it was a maiden first-class century to Amit Sharma
Amit Sharma
Amit Sharma , is an Indian cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm offbreak bowler. Amit Sharma was considered as an allrounder and was the captain of the U-19 team that visited England in 1994 season and won the test series 1-0 that included a Test match century in the second game....
that was the difference.
Bhave played for India A in the 1992/93 SAARC Quadrangular, a limited overs series also competed for by Sri Lanka A, Bangladesh A and Pakistan A. Bhave scored 81 against the Sri Lankans and although India made the final, the contest was canceled following rioting in the host city of Dhaka.
He also represented West Zone
West Zone cricket team
The West Zone cricket team is a first-class cricket team that represents western India in the Duleep Trophy. It is a composite team of players from five first-class Indian teams from western India competing in the Ranji Trophy: Baroda, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Mumbai and Saurashtra...
in the Duleep Trophy
Duleep Trophy
The Duleep Trophy is a domestic first-class cricket competition played in India between teams representing geographical zones of India. The competition is named after Kumar Shri Duleepsinhji .-History:...
on occasions and on the 2 December 1994 made 292 for the team in a first-class match against South Zone at Rourkela
Rourkela
Rourkela is located in the northwestern tip of the Indian state of Orissa at the heart of a rich mineral belt. It is situated about north of state capital Bhubaneswar.It is surrounded by a range of hills and encircled by rivers. One of the largest steel plants of the Steel Authority of India...
. His 739 minute vigil ended when he was bowled by offspinner Kanwaljit Singh.
The right-hander was particularly prolific against Saurashtra during his career, plundering them for 1471 at 91.93 with seven hundreds.
According to the cricket statisician, Bill Frindall
Bill Frindall
William Howard Frindall, MBE was an English cricket scorer and statistician. He was familiar to cricket followers from his appearances on the BBC Radio 4 programme Test Match Special, nicknamed the Bearded Wonder by Brian Johnston for his ability to research the most obscure cricketing facts in...
, only four cricketers (all British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
) scored more first-class runs than Bhave, without playing international cricket. These are Alan Jones
Alan Jones (cricketer)
Alan Jones was a Welsh cricketer, who played for Glamorgan for almost a quarter of a century. He also played, for a single season each, with Western Australia, Natal and Northern Transvaal.-Career:...
, John Langridge
John Langridge
John George Langridge was a cricketer who played for Sussex. His obituary in Wisden called him "one of the best English cricketers of the 20th century never to play a Test match"....
, Les Berry
Les Berry
George Leslie "Les" Berry, born at Dorking, Surrey on 28 April 1906 and died at Great Glen, Leicestershire on 5 February 1985, was a cricketer who played for Leicestershire and holds many of the county's first-class batting records....
and Ken Suttle
Ken Suttle
Kenneth George 'Ken' Suttle was an English cricketer. He was primarily a left-handed batsman but was also a useful slow left-arm bowler. His first-class career with Sussex lasted from 1949 to 1971. He played in 612 first-class matches...
. However, Bhave's career batting average of 58.18, is the highest of all time for any cricketer who has never played internationally.