- Nari Contractor
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Nari Contractor Personal information Batting style Left-hand bat Bowling style Right-arm medium International information National side Indian Career statistics Competition Tests First-class Matches 31 138 Runs scored 1611 8611 Batting average 31.58 39.86 100s/50s 1/11 22/- Top score 108 176 Balls bowled 186 2026 Wickets 1 26 Bowling average 80.00 40.00 5 wickets in innings - - 10 wickets in match - - Best bowling 1/9 4/85 Catches/stumpings 18/- 72/- Source: [1], Nariman Jamshedji "Nari" Contractor pronunciation (help·info) (7 March 1934 Godhra, Gujarat) is a former cricket player. He was left-handed opening batsman whose international career was ended abruptly by a serious injury.
He had a fortuitous beginning to his first-class career, when he was called up to replace the Gujarat captain who got injured on the morning of the match. Contractor scored hundreds in both innings of his debut, becoming the second man after Arthur Morris to do so.
At Lord's in 1959, he had two ribs broken early in the first innings by Brian Statham, despite which he scored 81. Later in the year, his 74 in the second innings at Kanpur was crucial in India winning its first Test against Australia. This innings ended when he pulled Alan Davidson who was bowling left arm spin at the time. Neil Harvey at short leg ducked and turned, but the ball got stuck between his legs.
Contractor led India to a series win against England in 1961-62 and captained the side to West Indies the same season. There, in the match against Barbados, he ducked to a short ball from Charlie Griffith which failed to come up. Contractor took a blow at the back of his skull and was unconscious for six days. That ended his international career. In a recent interview, he mentioned it as his only regret that he wanted play just one Test after the injury, but people didn't want him to.
Contractor now lives in Mumbai where he coaches at the Cricket Club of India Academy. He is a Parsi-Zoroastrian.
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Preceded by
Gulabrai RamchandIndian National Test Cricket Captain
1959/60 - 1961/62Succeeded by
Nawab of Pataudi Jr.Categories:- 1934 births
- Living people
- Gujarat cricketers
- Indian Test captains
- India Test cricketers
- Indian cricket captains
- Indian cricketers
- Parsi people
- Recipients of the Padma Shri
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