Salim Durani

Salim Aziz Durani (Pashto: سليم عزيز دراني; pronunciationⓘ; 11 December 1934 – 2 April 2023) was an Afghan-born Indian cricketer who played in 29 Test matches from 1960 to 1973. An all-rounder, Durani was a slow left-arm orthodox bowler and a left-handed batsman famous for his six-hitting prowess. He was the only Indian Test cricketer to have been born in Afghanistan.[5] He was the first cricketer to win an Arjuna Award. In 2011, he was awarded the C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest honour bestowed by BCCI on a former player.[6]

Salim Durani
Personal information
Full name
Salim Aziz Durani
Born(1934-12-11)11 December 1934
near Khyber Pass,[lower-alpha 1] Afghanistan[1][2][3]
Died2 April 2023(2023-04-02) (aged 88)
Jamnagar, Gujarat, India[4]
BattingLeft-handed
BowlingSlow left-arm orthodox
RoleAll-rounder
RelationsAbdul Aziz (father)
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 95)1 January 1960 v Australia
Last Test6 February 1973 v England
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1953Saurashtra
1954–1956Gujarat
1956–1978Rajasthan
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class
Matches 29 170
Runs scored 1,202 8,545
Batting average 25.04 33.37
100s/50s 1/7 14/45
Top score 104 137*
Balls bowled 6,446 28,130
Wickets 74 484
Bowling average 35.42 26.09
5 wickets in innings 3 21
10 wickets in match 1 2
Best bowling 6/73 8/99
Catches/stumpings 14/– 144/4
Source: Cricinfo, 12 June 2013

Early life

Salim Durani was born in a Pashtun family in Afghanistan.[7][8] His father Abdul Aziz Durani was a professional cricketer. Impressed by his wicket-keeping and batting performances for Nawanagar in their tour of Karachi in 1935, Abdul Aziz was offered a job as a sub-inspector by the then Jam Sahib Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji, which was when the Durani's family settled in Jamnagar.[9] After India's partition in 1947, Aziz moved to Pakistan, while his family stayed in Jamnagar. Future Pakistan national cricketer Hanif Mohammad was Aziz's student there.[10][11]

Salim Durani left Kabul when he was three years old. Durani's family speaks Pashto at home.[12]

Cricket career

Durani was the hero of India's series victory against England in 1961–62. He took 8 and 10 wickets in their wins at Kolkata and Chennai, respectively. Also, a decade later, he would be instrumental in India's maiden victory[13] against the West Indies at Port of Spain, taking the wickets of Clive Lloyd and Gary Sobers.[14]

In his 50 Test innings, he made just the one century, 104 against the West Indies in 1962. He played for Gujarat, Rajasthan and Saurashtra in first-class cricket. He made 14 hundreds in first-class cricket in which he managed 8545 runs at 33.37. Durani had a special rapport with the spectators, who once agitated when he was dropped from the team for the Kanpur Test in 1973, with placards and slogans such as, "No Durani, no test!"

As the only Afghanistan-born Indian test cricketer, he was present during the historic India vs Afghanistan test match on 14 June 2018.[15]

Film career

Durani appeared in the film Charitra with Parveen Babi in 1973.[16] He was the first cricketer to win an Arjuna Award. He was awarded the C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award by the BCCI in 2011.[6]

Death

Salim Durani died from cancer on 2 April 2023, at the age of 88. He was living with his brother, Jahangir Durani, in Gujarat's Jamnagar and had undergone a surgery for thigh bone fracture earlier in the year.[17][18]

It was said that Salim Durrani used to hit a six on the demand of the audience in the cricket field. People also called him a romantic hero. Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi expressed grief over his death.[19]

Notes
  1. While cricket reference books and web sites list Durani's birth place at Kabul, Durani stated in interviews of his birthplace being near Khyber Pass.

References
  1. Ezekiel, Gulu (27 June 2017). "Afghan cricket: The Indian connection". Rediff.com. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  2. Rajamani, RC (8 June 2011). "Bowled over by Durrani". The Hindu Business Line.
  3. Magazine, Pradeep (2 April 2023). "Salim Durani Was a Heartthrob of Millions of Cricket Fans in an Era With No TV". The Wire.
  4. Former India cricketer Salim Durani passes away aged 88
  5. "Nationalities of Test Cricketers". Archived from the original on 25 January 2007. Retrieved 25 January 2007.
  6. "C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award for Durani". The Hindu. 27 May 2011. Archived from the original on 28 May 2011. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  7. "Salim Durani: Big-hearted Afghan who played for love of game". The Hindu. 2 April 2023. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  8. Rajghatta, Chidanand (20 August 2021). "Salim Durrani, cricket, and the monumental clusterf**k in Kabul". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  9. Bezbaruah, Ajit (1 June 2011). "Durani, an enigma mired in controversy". The Times of India. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  10. Oborne, Peter (2015). Wounded Tiger: A History of Cricket in Pakistan. Simon & Schuster. p. 147. ISBN 9781849832489. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  11. "Obituary: Hanif Mohammed". Wisden. 8 June 2017. Archived from the original on 10 August 2017. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  12. Dinakar, S. (14 June 2018). "They play from their heart: Salim Durrani on Afghanistan cricket team". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  13. The Hindu, 6 May 2020, Kozhikode Edition, p. 14
  14. "India news: Sachin Tendulkar, Salim Durani honoured at BCCI awards".
  15. Team, DNA Web (14 June 2018). "Kabul-born Indian cricketer present during toss of historic India vs Afghanistan Test". Daily News and Analysis. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  16. Parveen Babi
  17. "Former Indian cricketer Salim Durani passes away at 88". 2 April 2023.
  18. "Indian cricket great Salim Durani dies at 88". The Times of India. 2 April 2023.
  19. "Salim Durani Passes Away: Salim Durrani, the romantic cricketer who hit a six on the demand of the audience, passed away". Yugantar Pravah. 2 April 2023.
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