Pankaj Lal Roy (1928 - 2001)

Known as: Pankaj Roy
Born: Calcutta, 31-5-1928
Died: Calcutta, 4-2-2001 (aged 72)
Role as a player: Right hand opening batsman and occasional right arm medium pace bowler
Teams: Bengal (from 1946-47 to 1967-68)
Tours: to England 1952 and 1959, to West Indies 1952-53, to Pakistan 1954-55 and to Ceylon 1956-57
Highest first-class score: 202 not out for Bengal v Orissa at Cuttack, 1963-64
Best first-class bowling: 5-53 for the Indians v Somerset at Taunton, 1952

First-class career (1946-47 to 1967-68):

First-class career (1946-47 to 1967-68)
M	Inns	No	Runs	Avg	HS	100	50	Ct	Balls	Runs	Wkts	Avge	Best	5w	10w
185	298	18	11868	42.38	202*	33	50	74	1842	648	21	30.85	5-53	1	-

Test debut: v England at Delhi, 1951-52
Last Test: v Pakistan at Bombay, 1960-61
Highest Test score: 173 v New Zealand at Madras, 1955-56
Best Test bowling: 1-6 v Australia at Bombay, 1959-60
Test captaincy record (1959): 1 Test (lost)

Test career
M	Inns	No	Runs	Avg	HS	100	50	Ct	Balls	Runs	Wkts	Avge	Best	5w	10w
43	79	4	2442	32.56	173	5	9	16	104	66	1	66.00	1-6	-	-

Career notes:

• Made his first-class debut for Bengal against United Provinces at Calcutta, 1946-47 - at the age of 18 years 232 days - while still in college. He scored 112 not out and 28 on debut.

• Represented Calcutta University in 1947-48, 1948-49 and 1949-50 (as captain)

• Appeared in two matches against the touring West Indian team in 1948-49 - scored an unbeaten 101 for the Bengal Governor's XI at Calcutta, which brought him to national prominence.

• Made his Test debut against the Nigel Howard's England at Delhi in November 1951. He made 12.

• In the very next match (which was his only second innings) at Bombay he scored his maiden Test hundred 140 (in 329 mins, 20 fours).

• In the last Test of the series at Madras he scored 111 (in 232 mins, 15 fours). Incidentally in this match India recorded its first ever Test win (in February 1952). He scored 387 runs (avg. 55.29) in five Tests - his debut series.

• Made his first tour of his career - to England in 1952. Although he scored 788 runs (avg. 21.88) in 23 matches during the tour - he recorded four ducks in a row the Test series. Scored just 54 runs (avg. 7.71) with five ducks in the four Tests.

• As a useful medium pace bowler he claimed five wickets in an innings for the Indians against Somerset at Taunton in 1952.

• He appeared in three of the Test matches against Pakistan in 1952. However his poor form continued.

• Toured the Caribbean in 1953. He scored 383 runs (avg. 47.88) in four matches, including a 150 (in 376 mins, 20 fours) - his third Test hundred.

• In 1953-54 he scored first of his twin hundreds in a match - 170 & 143 - for Bengal against Orissa at Cuttack.

• He appeared in four un-official Test matches against the Commonweath team in 1953-54. In four matches in the series he scored 241 runs (avg. 40.16). He made a 141 at Madras in the fourth "Test" when India won by an innings and 50 runs.

• In 1954-55 he toured Pakistan scoring 273 runs (avg. 34.13) with two fifties.

• Was appointed Bengal captain during the 1955-56 season. He led them in 43 matches up to 1966-67.

• During the New Zealand's tour of India in 1955-56 he recorded his fourth Test hundred - 100 (in 308 mins, 15 fours) - at Calcutta. In the very next Test match at Madras he achieved his highest Test score of 173 (in 472 mins, 12 fours), which incidentally was his last Test hundred. However he put on a record partnership of 413 runs for the first wicket with Vinoo Mankad - which still remains a Test record.

• Toured Ceylon in 1956-57 with an Indian team.

• Represented Blackpool (an English club) in Northern Cricket League in 1957.

• During the 1957-58 season he scored three Ranji Trophy hundreds in a row for Bengal.

• He made 90 in 444 minutes against the West Indies in the Bombay Test match in 1958-59.

• Made his final tour of his career to England in 1959 as vice-captain. Had the distinction of captaining India at Lord's when tour captain DK Gaekwad was injured. He finished the tour with 1207 runs (avg. 28.73) - the only time in his career when he recorded over 1000 runs in a season.

• Missed his sixth Test hundred by one run when he was dismissed for 99 - against Australia at Delhi 1959-60.

• During the 1962-63 season he scored a record four Ranji Trophy hundreds in a row for Bengal - 178 against Bihar and 136 against Orissa. He followed these scores with his second twin hundreds in a match - 112 & 118 - for Bengal against Hyderabad - with all his four hundreds coming at the Eden Gardens.

• Scored an unbeaten 202 against Orissa at Cuttack, 1963-64 - to become the first Bengal batsman to score a double hundred in the Ranji Trophy.

• By the time he retired from first-class cricket in 1967-68 he had appeared in 58 Ranji Trophy matches for Bengal scoring 5149 runs (avg. 65.17) with 21 hundreds and 16 fifties.

• He also scored 265 runs (avg. 29.44) in 6 Duleep Trophy matches for East Zone from 1961-62 to 1965-66 and made 132 for the Rest of India against Ranji champions Bombay in 1962-63 - which was his only Irani Trophy match.

• Was a good soccer player (played inside right). He represented the Indian Football Association against a touring Burmese team.

• Played with glasses almost throughout his career.

• His brother N Roy, nephew Ambar Roy and son Pranob Roy - all of whom who appeared in first-class cricket, with the last two playing in Tests.

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