Devraj Puri (12 March 1916 – 31 December 1971) was an Indian cricketer and commentator. He played first-class cricket for several teams including Bengal and Delhi.[1] He played one unofficial Test match for India against the Australians in 1935-36. After his playing career, he became a cricket commentator. In contemporary reports, his name often appears as Dev Raj Puri or D. R. Puri.
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 12 March 1916 Lahore, India | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 31 December 1971 (aged 55) Delhi, India | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm fast-medium | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1934/35–1944/45 | Northern India | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1941/42–1946/47 | Bengal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1947/48 | Delhi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1952/53 | Uttar Pradesh | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source: CricketArchive, 13 May 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Biography
editDevraj Puri was a bowler who was considered very fast in his early overs.[2] He made his debut in first class cricket for Northern India in the first season of the Ranji Trophy. In his second match, he returned figures 4-1-3-3 as Southern Punjab were bowled out for 22 runs; it would remain the lowest team score in the tournament for more than 70 years.[3] He took 6 wickets for 101 runs in the final against Bombay but Northern Punjab lost by 208 runs.[4] In the 1935–36 season, Puri captained Punjab University to a win in the interuniversity Rohinton Baria Trophy.
Puri opened the bowling with Mohammad Nissar against the touring Australians in the third unofficial Test at Lahore in January 1936.[5] A match report tells that Puri took a run-up of over 30 yards and "appeared to be faster than Nissar" but without the same control.[6] He was not selected for the 1936 tour of England. According to his son Narottam Puri, Devraj Puri was invited for the trials in Delhi but not allowed to bowl a single ball apparently because he had played a few matches for the Maharaja of Patiala. Patiala was an adversary of the Maharajkumar of Vizianagram who was the captain of the touring side.[2]
All India Radio invited Puri to do the radio commentary for the Delhi Test of the 1948-49 series against West Indies on the recommendation of the Nawab of Pataudi.[7] He continued to be a commentator for twenty years. In the Bombay Test against Australia in November 1969, Puri criticised umpire Sambhu Pan's decision to give S. Venkataraghavan out.[8] Several spectators were carrying transistor radios and Puri's comments contributed in inflaming a crowd riot. A part of the Brabourne Stadium was set on fire.[9]
The Devraj Puri Trophy that was given for the North Zone winners in the Ranji Trophy was named after him.[10] His son Narottam became a cricket commentator on radio and television.[11]
References
edit- ^ "Devraj Puri". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
- ^ a b Ezekiel, Gulu & Lokapally, Vijay (2020). Speed Merchants. Bloomsbury. pp. 6–7. ISBN 978-9-388-27134-9.
- ^ Southern Punjab v Northern India, 1934-35
- ^ Bombay v Northern Punjab, 1934-35
- ^ India v Australians, Lahore, 1935-36
- ^ Bombay Chronicle match report
- ^ Dev Raj Puri, A Privileged Moment, Sport and Pastime, 27 November 1965, p.21
- ^ Ravi Chaturvedi, Cricket Commentary and Commentators, p.78
- ^ K.R.Wadhwaney, Indian Cricket Controversies, p.98
- ^ Ranji 1999-2000, zonal trophies
- ^ Interview with Dr. Narottam Puri, Sportstar, 06 May, 2020