The short-statured, compact Vijay Merchant, was the first of the most outstanding Test batsmen India was to see. Prolific by any standards, his first class average of 71.64 is second only to Sir Donald Bradman's. Merchant belonged to a Gujarati business family, and brought into cricket all the calculating instincts of his community.When he toured England in 1936, his spot in the batting order was either number 3 or 5. He was forced out of cricket due to a broken finger for three weeks and when he returned to fitness, he found himself pitchforked into an opener's role. He excelled in that role to such an extent that at the end of the tour, he had scored 1745 runs (51.32) and in the Tests, he had an equally outstanding contribution of 282 runs (47.00), including a century at Old Trafford.He returned to England in 1946 to be greeted by yet another wet summer, but Merchant's batting display was again outstanding. He made 2,385 runs, (74.53), hit seven centuries, including two double hundreds, and in theTests averaged 49.00 for his 245 runs.His first class record was equally impressive and what makes him one of the truly greats of Indian cricket was his mastery over technique. It is said that he prepared himself for the England tour by batting early in the misty dew-leaden Bombay mornings. It prepared him for the extra movement which the pacers produce in England.It is not only his batting prowess which has found a permanent place for him in the Indian Hall of Fame. His oratory skills as a radio commentator and his progressive role as an administrator have made him a larger than life figure in Indian cricket hierarchy. It was his casting vote as the chairman of the selection committee which saw the long and fruitful reign of Nawab of Pataudi come to an end in 1971. Merchant had favoured Ajit Wadekar, under whose captaincy India went on to register their first series victory in the West Indies and their first ever win against England in England.Vijay Merchant's batting style, run-making ability,stamina and concentration were decades later to be honed to perfection by another Mumbaite, Sunil Gavaskar.Fact FileNAME:VIJAY MADHAVJI THACKERSEYBORN: 1911, BombayDied: 1987, BombayPLAYED FOR: Bombay, Hindus & IndiaFIRST CLASS CAREER (1929-52): 13,470 runs (71.64), 45 centuries, 65 wkts (32.12) and 115 catches.TESTS (10): 859 RUNS (47.72), three centuries, 7 catches.-PRADEEP MAGAZINE
