Colonel Hemchandra "Hemu" Ramachandra Adhikaripronunciationⓘ (31 July 1919 – 25 October 2003) was an Indian cricketer, representing his country both as a player and a coach in a career that spanned three decades. He received the C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998, the highest honour bestowed by the BCCI on a former player.[1]
A talented right-handed batsman and occasional leg spin bowler, Adhikari made his first-class cricket debut as a teenager before the outbreak of World War II in the 1936/37 domestic season. He immediately demonstrated his abilities on the local stage but due to the war, and his role in the Indian armed forces, his career was interrupted.
Adhikari made his Test debut as a 28-year-old in 1947 on India's tour of Australia and immediately established himself as an important member of the squad, although his continued official role in the army restricted his availability for the team.
Very good at playing spin bowling and courageous against fast bowling, Adhikari had some fine moments playing for India, including a national record 109-run last wicket partnership with Ghulam Ahmed in a Test against regional rivals Pakistan. He captained India in one Test as he neared his fortieth birthday, scoring 63 and 40 while batting and taking three important wickets in a drawn game against the West Indies.
Adhikari took to coaching after retiring from first-class cricket – with a very good batting average of 41.74 – and was in charge of the Indian team as they established themselves on the world stage. He helped guide India to their first series win in England in 1971 and was a major reason behind the development of such outstanding cricketers as Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Ravi Shastri. Some felt his history with military helped him as a coach, with former national team spin bowler Bapu Nadkarni saying "Adhikari was a disciplined man. Being a military man, he would not bother about what anybody else thought." Col Hemu Adhikari was the mentor of another military man & famous cricket coach from Hyderabad Mirza Rehmat Ullah Baig (M.R Baig), who was a Ranji Cricketer from Services and served as an assistant coach under the mentorship of Col Hemu Adhikari.
After his death in October 2003, at age 84, tributes flooded in for the popular Indian, with Indian cricket writer Suresh Menon saying "Adhikari was not a big man yet he was a presence. He will be remembered for his role in Indian cricket's self-confidence movement that began with that series win in 1971."
hemu, adhikari, colonel, hemchandra, hemu, ramachandra, adhikari, pronunciation, july, 1919, october, 2003, indian, cricketer, representing, country, both, player, coach, career, that, spanned, three, decades, received, nayudu, lifetime, achievement, award, 19. Colonel Hemchandra Hemu Ramachandra Adhikari pronunciation 31 July 1919 25 October 2003 was an Indian cricketer representing his country both as a player and a coach in a career that spanned three decades He received the C K Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998 the highest honour bestowed by the BCCI on a former player 1 Hemu AdhikariPersonal informationFull nameHemchandra Ramachandra AdhikariBorn 1919 07 31 31 July 1919Pune Bombay Presidency British IndiaDied25 October 2003 2003 10 25 aged 84 Mumbai Maharashtra IndiaBattingRight handedBowlingRight arm leg spinInternational informationNational sideIndiaTest debut cap 36 28 November 1947 v AustraliaLast Test11 February 1959 v West IndiesCareer statisticsCompetition Test First classMatches 21 152Runs scored 872 8 683Batting average 31 14 41 74100s 50s 1 4 17 45Top score 114 230 Balls bowled 170 4 000Wickets 3 49Bowling average 27 33 37 935 wickets in innings 0 010 wickets in match 0 0Best bowling 3 68 3 2Catches stumpings 8 97 Source ESPNcricinfo 15 November 2022 Contents 1 Life and career 2 Career bests 2 1 Test matches 2 2 First class 3 References 4 External linksLife and career editA talented right handed batsman and occasional leg spin bowler Adhikari made his first class cricket debut as a teenager before the outbreak of World War II in the 1936 37 domestic season He immediately demonstrated his abilities on the local stage but due to the war and his role in the Indian armed forces his career was interrupted Adhikari made his Test debut as a 28 year old in 1947 on India s tour of Australia and immediately established himself as an important member of the squad although his continued official role in the army restricted his availability for the team Very good at playing spin bowling and courageous against fast bowling Adhikari had some fine moments playing for India including a national record 109 run last wicket partnership with Ghulam Ahmed in a Test against regional rivals Pakistan He captained India in one Test as he neared his fortieth birthday scoring 63 and 40 while batting and taking three important wickets in a drawn game against the West Indies Adhikari took to coaching after retiring from first class cricket with a very good batting average of 41 74 and was in charge of the Indian team as they established themselves on the world stage He helped guide India to their first series win in England in 1971 and was a major reason behind the development of such outstanding cricketers as Sunil Gavaskar Kapil Dev and Ravi Shastri Some felt his history with military helped him as a coach with former national team spin bowler Bapu Nadkarni saying Adhikari was a disciplined man Being a military man he would not bother about what anybody else thought Col Hemu Adhikari was the mentor of another military man amp famous cricket coach from Hyderabad Mirza Rehmat Ullah Baig M R Baig who was a Ranji Cricketer from Services and served as an assistant coach under the mentorship of Col Hemu Adhikari After his death in October 2003 at age 84 tributes flooded in for the popular Indian with Indian cricket writer Suresh Menon saying Adhikari was not a big man yet he was a presence He will be remembered for his role in Indian cricket s self confidence movement that began with that series win in 1971 Career bests editTest matches edit Test Debut vs Australia Brisbane 1947 48 Last Test vs West Indies Delhi 1958 59 Adhikari s best Test batting score of 114 not out was made against West Indies Delhi 1948 49 His best Test bowling figures of 3 for 68 came against West Indies Delhi 1958 59 His Test captaincy record was 1 match 1 drawFirst class edit Adhikari s best first class batting score was 230 not outReferences edit C K Nayudu award for Kapil Dev The Hindu 18 December 2013 ISSN 0971 751X Retrieved 25 April 2023 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hemu Adhikari Hemu Adhikari at ESPNcricinfo HowSTAT statistical profile of Hemu Adhikari ESPNcricinfo summary of tributes to Hemu Adhikari after his 2003 death Article on Adhikari Archived 15 September 2005 at the Wayback MachinePreceded byVinoo Mankad Indian National Test Cricket Captain1958 59 1 Test Match Succeeded byDatta Gaekwad Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hemu Adhikari amp oldid 1190204525, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
