| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | (1916-03-12)12 March 1916 Lahore, India | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 31 December 1971(1971-12-31) (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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Devraj Puri (12 March 1916 – 31 December 1971) was an Indiancricketer and commentator. He playedfirst-class cricket for several teams includingBengal andDelhi.[1] He played one unofficial Test match for India against theAustralians in 1935-36. After his playing career, he became a cricket commentator. In contemporary reports, his name often appears asDev Raj Puri orD. R. Puri.
Devraj Puri was a bowler who was considered very fast in his early overs.[2] He made his debut infirst class cricket forNorthern India in thefirst season of theRanji Trophy. In his second match, he returned figures 4-1-3-3 asSouthern 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 againstBombay but Northern Punjab lost by 208 runs.[4] In the 1935–36 season, Puri captained Punjab University to a win in the interuniversityRohinton Baria Trophy.
Puri opened the bowling withMohammad Nissar against the touringAustralians 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 the1936 tour of England. According to his sonNarottam 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 theMaharaja of Patiala. Patiala was an adversary of theMaharajkumar 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 the1948-49 series against West Indies on the recommendation of theNawab of Pataudi.[7] He continued to be a commentator for twenty years. In the Bombay Test againstAustralia in November 1969, Puri criticised umpireSambhu Pan's decision to giveS. Venkataraghavan out.[8] Several spectators were carrying transistor radios and Puri's comments contributed in inflaming a crowd riot. A part of theBrabourne 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 sonNarottam became a cricket commentator on radio and television.[11]