Vinoo Mankad, the right-handed batsman, the slow-left arm bowler, was one of the best Indian all rounders to play the game of cricket. He was famously involved in a 413 run opening wicket partnership with Pankaj Roy in 1956, a record which stood strong for over 50 years. With the bowl, Mankad is known for running out a “backing up” batsman at the non strikers end.
Mankad played a total of 44 Tests for India, in which he produced 2109 runs at a decent average of 31.47. Mankad have five Test centuries to his name and a top score of 231. With his slow left arm orthodox, he managed to gallop 162 wickets at a remarkable average of 32.32, he had taken eight five-wicket hauls.
Mankad is one of the few players to have played at each position.
In 1947-48 tour of Australia, Mankad ran out Bill Brown as the latter backed up too far from the non-striker’s end. Quite memorably Mankad had done so after he had warned Brown if he took back up before Vinoo bowled, he would he would run him out. In his autobiography Farewell To Cricket, Don Bradman wrote: “For the life of me, I can’t understand why (the press) questioned his sportsmanship. The laws of cricket make it quite clear that the non-striker must keep within his ground until the ball has been delivered. If not, why is the provision there which enables the bowler to run him out? By backing up too far or too early, the non-striker is very obviously gaining an unfair advantage.”
In what would go on to be called “Mankad’s Test”, the all rounder’s best performance was against England at Lord’s in 1952. In the first innings, he top-scored with 72. He took 5 wickets for 196 runs in England’s first innings. In India’s second innings in that Test match, he scored with 184 runs out of India’s total of 378. The game was won by England but remains to be remembered for Mankad’s all-around performance. Mankad was the first Indian player to score a 100 and take five wickets.
The Government of India awarded him the Padma Bhushan in 1973.
