Sudhakar Gajanan Adhikari (born 11 October 1939) is a former Indian cricketer who played first-class cricket from 1959–60 to 1970–71, mostly for Bombay in the Ranji Trophy and West Zone in the Duleep Trophy.

Sudhakar Adhikari
Personal information
Full name
Sudhakar Gajanan Adhikari
Born (1939-10-11) 11 October 1939 (age 85)
Bombay, British India
BattingRight-handed
RoleOpening batsman
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1959/60–1966/67Bombay
1960/61–1963/64West Zone
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 65
Runs scored 3,779
Batting average 40.63
100s/50s 11/18
Top score 192
Balls bowled 348
Wickets 5
Bowling average 55.00
5 wickets in innings 0
10 wickets in match 0
Best bowling 1/22
Catches/stumpings 21/–
Source: Cricinfo, 6 October 2024

Adhikari was a technically-sound opening batsman who came close to Test selection for India in the early 1960s.[1] After representing Bombay University in the Rohinton Baria Trophy, he was included in the Indian Universities team to play the touring Australians in 1959–60.[2] He then made his Ranji Trophy debut, scored 134 against Baroda in his second match, and shortly afterwards played in Bombay's victory in the final.[3] He was selected to play for Indian Starlets on their tour of Pakistan later that season, where he scored a century against Lahore in the first match.[4]

Adhikari made the most of his opportunities when Bombay's Test players were absent, scoring 192 against Maharashtra in the Ranji Trophy in 1960–61. In its summary of that season, Wisden predicted a bright future for him.[5] He played in Bombay's victorious Ranji Trophy team and West Zone’s victorious Duleep Trophy team in the 1961–62 season.[6] He scored a century when West Zone won the final by an innings in 1962–63.[7]

Adhikari's form fell away in the mid-1960s.[8] In April 1966, in one of several first-class matches he was selected to play in to raise money for the National Defence Fund, he was the second batsman dismissed when Sadanand Mohol took four wickets in four balls.[9]

References

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  1. ^ Ramnarayan, V. "Might they have played for India?". Cricinfo. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  2. ^ "Indian Combined Universities v Australians 1959–60". Cricinfo. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  3. ^ "Bombay v Mysore 1959–60". CricketArchive. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  4. ^ "Lahore v Indian Starlets 1959–60". CricketArchive. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  5. ^ S. K. Gurunathan, "Cricket in India, 1960–61", Wisden 1962, p. 914.
  6. ^ "First-Class Matches played by Sudhakar Adhikari". CricketArchive. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  7. ^ "South Zone v West Zone 1962–63". Cricinfo. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  8. ^ "First-Class Batting and Fielding in Each Season by Sudhakar Adhikari". CricketArchive. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  9. ^ "Maharashtra Small Savings Minister's and Life Insurance Company's Chairman's Combined XI v Indian Board President's XI 1965–66". CricketArchive. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
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