Name:

Merchant, Vijay M

Nickname:

Vijay Thakersey

Date of Birth:

12 Oct 1911

Gender:

Men

Place of Birth:

Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India

Date Died:

27 Oct 1987

Career:

Test: 1933 - 1951
First Class: 1929 - 1951

Teams:

India (Country)

Classic Indian Batsmen

Second to only Bradman in first class cricket

Vijay Merchant was born on October 12, 1911 in Bombay (now Mumbai). He died aged 76 on October 27, 1987 in Bombay (now Mumbai).

As a boy when he first entered school, the Principal asked his name. When he replied 'Vijay Thakersey', the Principal asked what the name meant. Young Vijay responded, "Sir, we are merchants". The name Vijay Merchant stuck.

Merchant was India's first batting super star. He was small in stature and perfectly balanced. He made his Test debut in the first home series against England in 1933/34.

On the 1936 tour of England, Merchant was the star batsman. In a wet season, he struck 282 runs at 47.00 including a century at Old Trafford. He was selected as a Wisden Cricketer of The Year in 1936.

Overall, his batting record in first class cricket was top notch. Merchant comes in second place with a first-class average of 71.64 to Bradman's 95.14. He scored 12,876 runs and posted 43 centuries.

Merchant played ten Tests, with a large proportion of his international career lost due to the Second World War. He scored 859 runs at 47.72 with 3 centuries.

Source: CricketCrowd Staff Reporter