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| Full name | Nariman Jamshedji Contractor | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1934-03-07)7 March 1934 (age 91) Godhra,Bombay Presidency,British India | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Left-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm medium | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| National side | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Test debut (cap 77) | 2 December 1955 v New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 7 March 1962 v West Indies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source:ESPNcricinfo,10 January 2013 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nariman Jamshedji "Nari" Contractor (pronunciationⓘ; born 7 March 1934) is a former Indiancricketer, who was a left-handed openingbatsman. Contractor made his debut in 1955 and played till 1962 when his professional career ended after a serious injury. He was the youngest Indian captain at the age of 26.[1] In 2007, he received theC. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest honourIndian board can bestow on a former player.[2]
Contractor began hisfirst-class career, playing for theGujarat. The captain of Gujarat Phiroz Khambata saw how Nari played in the selection trial matches for MCA's Silver Jubilee matches in 1955. He did well in the trials and expected to be selected for the matches against Pakistan Services & Bhawalpur Cricket Association. He got to the team because Captain Kambatha had dropped out. Contractor scored hundreds in both innings of his debut, becoming the second man afterArthur Morris to do so.[3]
Later he was chosen to play for India. Nari became an opener after one of the playersVinoo Mankad couldn't take part in a Test match against New Zealand atDelhi in 1955.[3] Later he became an Indian captain.
AtLord's in 1959, he broke two ribs in the first innings byBrian Statham, despite which he scored 81. Later in the year, his 74 in the second innings at Kanpur was crucial in India winning its first Test against Australia. This innings ended when he pulledAlan Davidson, who was bowling left-arm spin at the time.Neil Harvey at short leg ducked and turned, but the ball got stuck between his legs.
Contractor led India to aseries win against England in 1961–62 and captained the side to theCaribbean the same season. After two Tests, the Indian team traveled to Barbados. There, in a tour match againstBarbados at theKensington Oval inBridgetown, in March 1962, he was 2not out while opening the batting withDilip Sardesai during his side's first innings,[4] when facingCharlie Griffith for the fourth ball of the second over, he saw somebody open a window in thepavilion and consequently was unable to concentrate on the ball following its delivery by Griffith, seeing the ball "just inches away before it hit" him.[5] Contractor took a blow at the back of his skull,[6] fracturing it. A blood clot had developed inside his skull and pressing against the brain, paralyzing him from the waist down. Two surgeries were performed to remove the clot, which requiredblood transfusion. West Indies captainFrank Worrell donated blood[7] alongside Contractor's teammatesChandu Borde,Bapu Nadkarni andPolly Umrigar.[8] Contractor's life was saved but his international career was abruptly ended as a result. Mansoor Ali Khan of Pataudi took over the captaincy from the third test. In an interview, Contractor mentioned as his only regret that he wanted to play justone Test after the injury, but people did not want him to.[5] He resumed his career after recovering from the injury and even captained Gujarat during the 1970-71 Ranji Trophy[9] but never played a Test after his injury in 1962.
During his playing days, Contractor was considered a glamour boy of Indian cricket. In an interview withSimi Garewal in 1999, former Tamil Nadu chief ministerJayalalithaa stated that as a schoolgirl she had a crush on Contractor.
Nari Contractor belongs to theParsi community.[1] He now lives inMumbai where he coaches at theCricket Club of India Academy. He received theC. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.[2]