Devraj Govindraj

Devraj Devendraraj Govindraj (born 2 January 1947 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh) is a former fast bowler who played first-class cricket in India from 1964-65 to 1974-75. He toured the West Indies in 1970-71 and England in 1971, but did not play Test cricket.

Devraj Govindraj
Personal information
Full nameDevraj Devendraraj Govindraj
Born (1947-01-02) 2 January 1947
Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm fast-medium
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1964-65 to 1974-75Hyderabad
1966-67 to 1971-72State Bank of India
1966-67 to 1970-71South Zone
Career statistics
Competition First-class List A
Matches 93 3
Runs scored 1202 0
Batting average 13.50 –
100s/50s 0/5 0/0
Top score 72 0*
Balls bowled 10,087 150
Wickets 190 3
Bowling average 27.66 21.33
5 wickets in innings 5 0
10 wickets in match 2 n/a
Best bowling 6/38 2/14
Catches/stumpings 36/– 0
Source: Cricinfo, 7 March 2014

Early career

Govindraj began his career with Hyderabad in the Ranji Trophy in 1964-65, opening the bowling and batting in the tail. In 1966-67 his 59 batting at number nine helped State Bank of India win the Moin-ud-Dowlah Gold Cup Tournament for the first time.[1]

He attended a training camp that was held to help select the Indian team to tour Australia and New Zealand in 1967-68, but Umesh Kulkarni and Ramakant Desai were selected ahead of him.[2] In domestic cricket in India in 1967-68 he took 23 wickets at 26.95, without taking more than three wickets in an innings.[3] He again helped State Bank of India win the Moin-ud-Dowlah Gold Cup Tournament, making his career top score of 72 at number eight after State Bank of India had been 123 for 6 in the first innings of the final.[4] He played for an Indian XI against the touring International XI in February 1968, taking the wickets of Khalid Ibadulla (twice) and Ken Suttle.

He began the 1968-69 season with a short tour of Ceylon with State Bank of India. In the match against Ceylon Board President's Under-27s XI he took the best innings figures (6 for 38 in the second innings) and match figures (11 for 70) of his career in an innings victory.[5] Two months later he took his best figures in the Ranji Trophy with 5 for 21 and 5 for 75 in an innings victory for Hyderabad over Andhra.[6]

Playing for India

After taking 24 wickets in the 1970-71 Indian season at an average of 29.00, including 5 for 114 for South Zone against East Zone in the Duleep Trophy, Govindraj was selected for the tours of the West Indies and England. Although he was the only fast bowler in the team he did not play any of the Tests, the selectors preferring to open with the medium-paced all-rounders Eknath Solkar and Syed Abid Ali and rely on three specialist spinners to take most of the wickets. He played five first-class matches in the West Indies and bowled only 91.5 overs, taking 10 wickets at 37.60.[7] In England he played 16 matches, but took only 11 wickets at 61.27.[8]

He played for an Indian XI against Rest of India in a match in aid of the Defence Fund in 1971-72, but took no wickets.[9] He played on for a few more seasons before dropping out of first-class cricket at the age of 27.

After cricket

He worked for the State Bank of India during his cricket career. Later he drove buses in London, and more recently he has been a cricket coach.[10]

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References
  1. Indian Starlets v State Bank of India 1966-67
  2. Interview with Devraj Govindraj Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  3. Devraj Govindraj bowling by season
  4. Dungarpur XI v State Bank of India 1967-68
  5. Ceylon Board President's Under-27s XI v State Bank of India 1968-69
  6. Andhra v Hyderabad 1968-69
  7. Wisden 1972, p. 927.
  8. Wisden 1972, p. 322.
  9. Indian XI v Rest of India 1971-72
  10. Interview with Devraj Govindraj Retrieved 13 March 2014.
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