In pictures | Parsi cricketers who have played for India

1) Farokh Engineer

The last Parsi man to play Test cricket for India, Farokh Engineer was also one of the most flamboyant batsmen of his era. He was one of the earliest “wicketkeeper-batsmen” in the country — he once scored 94 before lunch against the dreaded West Indian attack of Charlie Griffith, Wes Hall, Lance Gibbs and Garry Sobers. He also kept wickets to India’s spin quartet of EAS Prasanna, Bhagwath Chandrasekhar, Bishan Bedi, and Srinivas Venkataraghavan. He was one of the few Indians to have a productive County career, and also succeeded the likes of Denis Compton and Keith Miller as a Brylcreem model. Engineer was predominantly an opening batsman, though he has the distinction of batting everywhere in the top 10. In 46 Tests he scored 2,611 runs at 31.08 with two centuries and 16 fifties. He also took 66 catches and affected 16 stumpings. He has played five ODIs in which he scored 114 runs at 38 with one half-century. He took three catches and affected one stumping. He played First-Class cricket for Bombay and Lancashire, featuring in a total of 335 matches. He scored 13,436 runs at 29.52 with 13 hundreds and 69 fifties. He also took 704 catches and affected 120 stumpings.

2) Polly Umrigar

Rusi Modi might have been the first great Parsi cricketer, but “Polly” Umrigar was perhaps India’s greatest Test cricketer for as long as he played. When he finally retired he held two of the biggest records: most runs and most centuries. Having made his Test debut in 1948, “Polly Kaka” played till 1962. In his 59 Tests he scored 3,631 at 42.22 with 12 centuries and 14 fifties. He also took 35 wickets with his steady off-spin at 42.08. He is one of only two Indian cricketers to take five wickets and score a century in the same match. For much of his career, he was the man who stood tall amongst the ruins of the rest of India’s batting — though there were rumours  that he shied away from excess pace like that of Fred Trueman. He also led India on eight occasions, winning two and losing two matches.His First-Class career was also a distinguished one; in243 matches he scored 16,155 runs at 52.28 with 49 centuries and 80 fifties. He also took 325 wickets with 14 five-wicket hauls.

3) Rustomji Jamshedji

The oldest Indian debutant of all time, Rustomji Jamshedji played his only Test in 1933 at the age of 41, against England at Mumbai. A left-arm spinner, he took 3 for 137 including the wickets of Charlie Barnett, Bryan Valentine, and Leslie Townsend. He also played 29 First-Class matches taking 134 wickets at an excellent average of 22.12 with 10 five-wicket hauls and three 10-wickets hauls.

4) Rusi Modi

Rusi Modi made his debut in 1946 against England at Lord’s. In addition to having a successful — though brief — Test career, Modi was also a huge success in the Ranji Trophy. His 10 Tests brought him 736 runs at 46 with one century and six fifties. He was also a fairly competent medium-pacer, though he never took a Test wicket. He also played 105 First-Class matches — a number of which were for Bombay — in which he scored 7,529 runs at an excellent average of 53.02. He was the first man to ever score five Ranji Trophy centuries in a row,  and was also the first to score 1,000 runs in a Ranji season — a feat that remained unsurpassed for 44 years! In addition, he took 32 wickets at 38.31,  but this included one five-wicket haul.

5) Nariman Jamshedji Contractor

Nari Jamshedji Contractor would have played far more than 31 Tests had it not been for a brutal head injury that cut short his career. In a tour match during the West Indies tour of 1962, nearly a decade after making his debut against New Zealand in 1955, he was struck on the side of his head by a bouncer from Charlie Griffith. He was unconscious for six days and needed back-to-back surgeries. He never played another Test, though he made a First-Class come back and played for years after the incident. A left-handed opening batsman Contractor was captain at the time of his injury — a role he held since the young age of 26. In fact, at the time Contractor was India’s youngest ever Test captain. In total, he played 31 Tests, scoring 1,611 runs at 31.58. He also bowled part-time medium-pace and took a solitary wicket. His First-Class career began in outstanding fashion; playing for Gujarat, he scored twin centuries against Baroda on debut. He played 138 First-Class matches in all, scoring 8,611 runs at 39.86 with 22 centuries. He also took 26 wickets at 40.

6) Rusi Framroze Surti

Sometimes called “Poor man’s Garry Sobers,” Rusi Surti was the epitome of the term “all-rounder.” He was a left-handed batsman who could fit in anywhere in the top or middle order, he bowled medium pace but could also bowl spin, and was an outstanding fielder anywhere on the ground. Surti made his debut against Pakistan in 1960, opening bowling in either innings but going wicketless. He also scored 11 batting at No. 8. He went on to play 25 more Tests over the course of nearly a decade, scoring 1,263 runs at 28.70 and taking 42 wickets at 46.71.He had a good record in First-Class cricket. Playing for Gujarat and Rajasthan in Ranji Trophy, Surti played a total of 160 First-Class Matches (some of these were also for Queensland, off all places) and scored 8,066 runs at 30.90 with six centuries — his highest was 246 not out — and 54 fifties. In addition, he took 284 wickets at 37.07 with 10 five-wicket hauls.

7) Diana Edulji

Perhaps the finest woman cricketer India has produced, Diana Edulji is currently the third-highest wicket-taker in women’s Tests. She made her Test debut in 1976, and within three years was captaining the side. Having learnt her trade while playing against the boys of her colony, later in life she was often being called upon to bowl to the men’s side. She played 20 Tests, scoring 404 including an unbeaten 57, and took 63 wickets at 25.77. In 34 ODIs, she snared 46 wickets at 16.84.

8) Arzan Nagwaswalla

Arzan Nagwaswalla is the latest cricketer from the Parsi community to be selected for the senior men’s teamArzan Nagwaswalla, a left-arm seamer from Gujarat, was selected on May 7, 2021, to tour with the Indian team to England later in the summer, as a reserve bowler. What makes Nagwaswalla’s selection unique is that he is reportedly the first Parsi cricketer to be selected for the senior men’s team since Farokh Engineer played his last Test in 1975.

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