Ajit Wadekar was an Indian cricket player who played for the national team of India from 1966 to 1974. He was one of the few cricketers who played many different roles, such as team manager, Captain, coach, and chairman of selectors for the Indian team. Because of how well he did as Captain, he became well-known. Even though he was skinny, Wadekar could hit the ball very hard. He came up with a style that was all his own, like batting with his feet wide apart. During his 17-year First-Class career, which started when he was 47, he hit 15,380 runs. Only in the Ranji Trophy did he score 4,388 runs at 59. During Bombay’s famous run in the 1960s, he was the team’s center of gravity. The run ended when he slipped and was run out in the semi-final of 1972-73.
Ajit Wadekar Biography:
- Real Name: Ajit Laxman Wadekar
- Other/Nickname: Ajit
- Profession: Former Indian Cricketer
- Famous for: Aggressive batting
- Best Performance: 67 against England in ODIs
- Ajit Wadekar Net Worth: $18 Million
- Ajit Wadekar Twitter Handle: @ajitwadekar
Ajit Wadekar Physical Status:
- Height: 5’10”
- Weight: 78 kg
- Eye Colour: Black
- Hair Colour: White (Half Bald)
Ajit Wadekar Personal Life:
- Date Of Birth: April 1, 1941
- Date Of Death: August 15, 2018 (aged 77)
- Place Of Birth: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
- Nationality: Indian
- Hometown: Mumbai, Maharashtra
Ajit Wadekar Family Statistics:
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- Marital Status: Married
- Ajit Wadekar Wife: Rekha Wadekar
- Ajit Wadekar Parents: Father-Laxman Wadekar
- Religion: Hindu
- Other Hobbies: Travelling
Ajit Wadekar Career Statistics:
- Test Debut: India v West Indies at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai, December 13, 1966
- ODI Debut: England v India at Headingley, Leeds, July 13, 1974
Ajit Wadekar Achievements:
- The “Arjuna Award” was given to Ajit Wadekar back in 1967.
- In 1972, the government of India awarded him the Padmashri, the country’s fourth-highest civilian accolade.
- In First-Class cricket, he scored 15,380 runs and had 36 centuries.
- He was honored with the CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award, the Castrol Lifetime Achievement Award, and many others for his outstanding contributions to cricket.
- One of the few Indians who have held the positions of Test player, Captain, coach/manager, and chairman of selectors, he is a rare breed.
Here are some lesser-known facts about Ajit Wadekar:
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- In the 1970s, Wadekar worked for the State Bank of India, and everyone who opened an account there received a tiny bat bearing the signature of the Indian Captain. Sachin Tendulkar acquired one of these bats when his sister Savita established an account at the State Bank.
- Wadekar motivated young, less-experienced players to beat the mighty West Indies team, which had legends like Sir Garfield Sobers, Clive Lloyd, and Roy Fredricks on it. The result was an almost unbelievable win. It is considered one of India’s best wins ever on foreign soil.
- Sunil Gavaskar, Gundappa Vishwanath, S. Venkatraghavan and BS Bedi, all big names in Indian cricket, made their debuts. At the same time, Wadekar was Captain, and he helped each of them in their early years as players.
- His father wanted him to learn mathematics and become a mathematician.
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