Ajit Pai (cricketer)

Ajit Manohar Pai pronunciation  (born 28 April 1945) is a former Indian cricketer who played in one Test in 1969.

For the American FCC Chairman, see Ajit Pai.
Ajit Pai
Personal information
Full nameAjit Manohar Pai
Born (1945-04-28) 28 April 1945
Bombay, Maharashtra, British India
Height5 ft 11 1⁄2 in (1.82 m)
BattingLeft-handed
BowlingRight-arm fast-medium
International information
National side
Career statistics
Competition Tests First-class
Matches 1 35
Runs scored 10 872
Batting average 5.00 24.22
100s/50s –/– –/5
Top score 9 91
Balls bowled 114 4924
Wickets 2 85
Bowling average 15.50 25.21
5 wickets in innings – 4
10 wickets in match – 1
Best bowling 2/29 7/42
Catches/stumpings –/– 39/–
Source: Cricinfo, 30 July 2020

Cricket career

A tall opening bowler and useful lower-order batsman, Pai made his debut for Bombay in the Ranji Trophy in the 1968-69 season. After taking 11 wickets in his first three first-class matches he was selected to represent West Zone in the Duleep Trophy. He helped each team to the championship and finished the season with 129 runs at an average of 25.80[1] and 23 wickets at 23.21.[2]

In September 1969 he took 7 for 42 for West Zone against Central Zone in the Duleep Trophy[3] and was selected to open the bowling for India in the First Test against New Zealand later that month. He took two wickets and India won,[4] but for the Second Test the selectors decided to use the all-rounders Rusi Surti and Syed Abid Ali to open the bowling and strengthened the spin attack with Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan. Again he helped West Zone and Bombay win their respective championships in 1969-70.

He did not play any further matches in the Duleep Trophy, but in 1970-71 he had an outstanding match for Bombay against Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy. Batting at number seven, he made 91 out of a Bombay total of 265, then took 5 for 22 and 6 for 30 to take Bombay to victory by an innings and 82 runs.[5] Once again he played in the Bombay side that won the Ranji Trophy.

His bowling form fell away after 1970-71, but he played in two more Ranji Trophy-winning Bombay sides, in 1974-75 and 1975–76, seasons in which his batting (310 runs at 28.11) and catching (18 catches in 10 matches) were more prominent. The 1975-76 victory in the final over Bihar was his last first-class match.[6]

Later life

Pai worked as an architect for the Bank of Baroda.[7]

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References
  1. Ajit Pai batting and fielding by season
  2. Ajit Pai bowling by season
  3. Central Zone v West Zone 1969-70
  4. India v New Zealand, Bombay 1969-70
  5. Saurashtra v Bombay 1970-71
  6. "Bihar v Bombay 1975-76". CricketArchive. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  7. Mukherjee, Abhishek (22 June 2016). "Ajit Pai: An Indian seamer lost in the era of spin". Cricket Country. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
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