B. B. Nimbalkar
B. B. Nimbalkar signing autographs in 1946
Personal information
Full name
Bhausaheb Babasaheb Nimbalkar
Born12 December 1919
Kolhapur, Bombay Presidency, British India
Died11 December 2012
(aged 92)
Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm fast-medium
RoleBatsman
Occasional wicket-keeper
RelationsR. B. Nimbalkar (brother),
S. B. Nimbalkar (son)
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1939/40Baroda
1941/42–1950/51Maharashtra
1942/43–1957/58Holkar
1955/56Madhya Bharat
1956/57–1957/58Rajasthan
1958/59–1963/64Railways
Career statistics
Competition FC
Matches 80
Runs scored 4,841
Batting average 47.93
100s/50s 12/22
Top score 443*
Balls bowled 4,038
Wickets 58
Bowling average 40.22
5 wickets in innings –
10 wickets in match –
Best bowling 4/56
Catches/stumpings 37/10
Source: CricketArchive (subscription required), 11 December 2012

Bhausaheb Babasaheb Nimbalkar (12 December 1919 – 11 December 2012) was an Indian first-class cricketer who is remembered for his innings of 443 not out in the 1948–49 Ranji Trophy match between Maharashtra and Kathiawar. At the time, it was the second-highest score in the history of first-class cricket. It remains the Indian record and is also the highest score by a batsman who never played in Test cricket. Nimbalkar was a right-handed batsman whose career spanned the seasons from 1939/40 to 1963/64. He played for six first-class teams: Baroda, Maharashtra, Holkar, Madhya Bharat, Rajasthan, and Railways. He was an occasional wicket-keeper and a right-arm fast-medium bowler.

Early life

Nimbalkar was born in Kolhapur.[1] He had his early education at the Model School in Kolhapur, and captained the school team at the age of 15.

Career

Debut

Nimbalkar joined Baroda and, aged 19, made his debut (both first-class and Ranji Trophy) on 18–20 November 1939 against Gujarat at Baroda's Police Gymkhana Ground.[lower-alpha 1] Baroda won the match by 52 runs. They scored 127 and 166; Gujarat replied with 100 and 141. Batting in the lower middle order, Nimbalkar scored 6 and 27. He opened the bowling with Edulji Gai and took 3/16 and 1/36.[3] His older brother, wicket-keeper Raosaheb Nimbalkar, was also playing and the two often appeared alongside each other.[4]

Record score in India

Nimbalkar moved to Maharashtra and played for them until 1950/51. During the 1948–49 Ranji Trophy, in the match against Kathiawar on the Poona Club Ground, Nimbalkar scored 443 not out.[5] At the time, Nimbalkar's innings was second only to Don Bradman's 452 not out (in 1929/30) as the world record for the highest individual innings in first-class cricket. Currently, the innings is the fourth-highest of all time, having been surpassed by those of Hanif Mohammad (499 in 1958/59) and Brian Lara (501* in 1994).

He was unable to break the record because, with the total standing at 826 for 4 at the lunch interval, the opposing captain, the Thakore Saheb of Rajkot, conceded the match to prevent embarrassment on the part of his team. However, Bradman sent a personal note to Nimbalkar saying that he considered Nimbalkar's innings better than his own.[6][7][8][9]

Summary

Despite an impressive batting average of 56.72 in Ranji Trophy matches, and his additional abilities as a wicket-keeper and a fast-medium bowler, Nimbalkar never played Test cricket during a first-class career that stretched from 1939–40 to 1963–64.[1] He was named the Indian Cricketer of the Year in 1952/53.[1]

Later years and death

Between 1976/77 and 1982/83, Nimbalkar's son, Suryaji Nimbalkar, played in twelve first-class matches for Railways and Maharashtra.[10] Nimbalkar received the C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002,[1] the highest honour bestowed on a former player by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.[11] He died in Kolhapur on 11 December 2012, the day before his 93rd birthday.[1][12]

Notes

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Nimbalkar's debut at the Police Gymkhana was the only first-class match ever played on the ground.[2]

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Bhausaheb Nimbalkar. CricketArchive. Retrieved 19 December 2023. (subscription required)
  2. ↑ First-class matches played on the Police Gymkhana Ground, Baroda. CricketArchive. Retrieved 19 December 2023. (subscription required)
  3. ↑ Baroda v Gujarat, Ranji Trophy 1939/40 (West Zone). CricketArchive. Retrieved 19 December 2023. (subscription required)
  4. ↑ Raosaheb Nimbalkar. CricketArchive. Retrieved 19 December 2023. (subscription required)
  5. ↑ Maharashtra v Kathiawar, Ranji Trophy 1948/49 (1st Round). CricketArchive. Retrieved 19 December 2023. (subscription required)
  6. ↑ "First Indian who came close to Bradman, BB Nimbalkar passes away". Daily News and Analysis. 11 December 2012.
  7. ↑ Frindall, Bill (2009). Ask Bearders. BBC Books. p. 81. ISBN 978-1-84607-880-4.
  8. ↑ "Babasaheb Nimbalkar passes away". Wisden India. 11 December 2012. Archived from the original on 6 February 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
  9. ↑ "How many IPL teams have won and lost a match by ten wickets in the same season?". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  10. ↑ Suryaji Nimbalkar. Cricket Archive. Retrieved 19 December 2023. (subscription required)
  11. ↑ "C. K. Nayudu award for Kapil Dev". The Hindu. 18 December 2013.
  12. ↑ "Former Ranji cricketer Nimbalkar dead". The Hindu. 12 December 2012.
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