Vasant Ranjane

Vasant Ranjane was perhaps unfortunate that he played most of his Test cricket on dead batting tracks or spin oriented pitches when the opening bowler's function was limited to just a few overs to take the shine off the ball. Very rarely was he given a long spell, which was a pity for he was resourceful medium-pace bowler, able to swing the ball both ways and cut the ball off the seam to good effect. He made a sensational first-class debut when he took 9 for 35 (including a hat-trick) and 4 for 36 for Maharashtra against Saurashtra in 1956-57. Ranjane made his Test debut two years later, but was forgotten until 1961-62 when he played against England at Bombay. He was the most successful bowler with 4 for 76 in the first innings. He played two more Tests in the series and was taken on the 1962 tour of West Indies where he played one game, the final Test at Kingston. He again did well taking the wickets of Hunte, Kanhai, Sobers and Worrell in the first innings for 72 runs. He played in only two more Tests, against England at Madras in 1963-64 and against Australia at the same venue a year later with modest success. He continued to play first-class cricket until 1971 and in the Ranji Trophy took 116 wickets (22.11).
Partab Ramchand