An exception- Javed Miandad

On 31st October 1976, at 19 years, 141 days, Javed Miandad became the youngest person to make a Test double-century. He cracked 206 in only his third Test - he'd already made 163 in his first - as Pakistan racked up 565 for 9 in their first innings in Karachi. It looked more than enough when New Zealand fell to 195 for 6, but Warren Lees (152) and Richard Hadlee (81) added a then national-record 186 for the seventh wicket to ward off the follow-on, and a draw was a formality after that. In all, 1585 runs were scored for the loss of 31 wickets.

7 things you don’t know about Vijay Merchant

Vijay Madhavji Thakersey was a cricketer who played Test cricket for India between1933 to 1951. Though, he missed out some years of cricket due to World War 2 but made his name in the domestic circuit scoring runs at an average of 72.64.

Chetan Sharma- The History man

On 31^st October 1987 Chetan Sharma became the first man to pick a World cup Hattrick. He achieved the fate against New Zealand where he dismissed Ken Rutherford, Ian Smith and Ewen

Chatfield.  

CK Nayudu- First skipper of Indian team

Also known as 'CK', was the first captain of the Indian cricket team

Indian Cricket’s finest hour

When it was first achieved almost 40 years ago it was hailed as the greatest triumph in Indian cricket. And despite the number of notable victories notched up by Indian teams since then – particularly in the new millennium – the win over the West Indies at Port of Spain in April 1976 has not lost any of its lustre. It still takes its place right up there with the most remarkable victories in Test cricket. Coming into the third game of the series India were one down having lost the first Test at Bridgetown in three days by an innings while the second Test at Port of Spain was drawn with India very much on top. The third Test was scheduled to be played at Georgetown, Guyana but persistent rain meant a shift back to Port of Spain. This in a way was heartening news for the visitors as the Queen’s Park Oval had proved to be a lucky ground. Not only had the West Indies just about managed to avert defeat in the previous game on the previous tour in 1971 the Indians had scored a historic maiden victory over the West Indies in the second Test at the same ground and then had clinched the series with a draw in the final Test at the same venue. All the same midway through the match it appeared that the West Indies would coast to victory and take a winning 2-0 lead in the four Test series. They led off by getting 359 with Vivian Richards then in the form of his life top scoring with 177.

Remembring wicket keeper batsman Nana Joshi

Joshi was born in Baroda, Gujarat, India in 1926. He first gained attention as a cricket player when he scored 100 notout for Central Province Governor's XI against the touring Commonwealth XI in addition to dismissing six batsmen. This earned him a place in two unofficial Tests against the same team. Joshi played cricket at a time when India had three or four wicket keepers of the same class. In a career that lasted for nearly ten years, Joshi played only twelve Test matches.

He made his Test debut against England in the first Test at Delhi in 1951-52. Joshi captained Maharastra team between 1960–61 and 1962-63. He also served in the Maharashtra cricket selection committee. His benefit match in Sangli in 1974 earned him 1,25,000 rupees. He dismissed nine batsmen against Gujarat in 1959-60 which equalled the then Indian record.

Vijay Merchant

Vijay Madhavji Thakersey was a cricketer who played Test cricket for India between1933 to 1951. Though, he missed out some years of cricket due to World War  but made his name in the domestic circuit scoring runs at an average of 72.64.

1.     His batting average of 71.64 is the second highest first class average in history, behind only that of Don Bradman.

Madhav Apte - India's most unfortunate cricketer

Despite having a healthy overseas tour of West Indies where he averaged around 50, Apte was never considered for the Test side again. In the 7 Test matches that he played for India, he scored 542 runs at 49.27, notching up three fifties and one hundred.

 Madhav Apte started his career as a leg-spin googly bowler. He performed decently in that role as well and made people sit up and take notice with his 10 wickets for 10 runs in a match during the Gilles and Shield tournament.

Apte attended Elphinstone College in Mumbai, where Vinoo Mankad became the coach in 1948. The star Indian all-rounder felt that Apte would make a good opener, and asked him to carefully watch Vijay Merchant in order to learn the right technique. At 20, Apte made his debut for India against Pakistan in their 1952 tour of India. He opened the innings with his guru Vinoo Mankad and scored 30 and 10* in the match.

Apte is the only player to have played alongside D.B Deodhar – the “Grand Old Man of Indian Cricket”, and Sachin Tendulkar. In the 1987-88 domestic season, 55-year old Apte was playing for the CCI at Shivaji Park Gymkhana against a 14-year old Tendulkar. The following year, as the president of CCI, it was Apte who bent the rules of the dressing room to allow Tendulkar to be a playing member of the club.

The old man Richie Benaud

On this an ace commentator and former Australian cricket Richie Benaud was born. Benaud was a Test cricket all-rounder, blending thoughtful leg spin bowling with lower-order batting aggression. Along with fellow bowling all-rounder Alan Davidson, he helped restore Australia to the top of world cricket in the late 1950s and early 1960s after a slump in the early 1950s. In 1958 he became Australia's Test captain until his retirement in 1964. He became the first player to reach 200 wickets and 2,000 runs in Test cricket, arriving at that milestone in 1963.

Anthony William "Tony" Greig

• Born in South Africa, Greig qualified to play for the English national team by virtue of his Scottish parentage.