| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Salim Durani | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1934-12-11)11 December 1934 nearKhyber Pass,[a]Afghanistan[1][2][3] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 2 April 2023(2023-04-02) (aged 88) Jamnagar,Gujarat, India[4] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Left-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Slow left-arm orthodox | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | All-rounder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relations | Abdul Aziz Durrani (father) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side |
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| Test debut (cap 95) | 1 January 1960 v Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 6 February 1973 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1953 | Saurashtra | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1954–1956 | Gujarat | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1956–1978 | Rajasthan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source:Cricinfo,12 June 2013 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Salim Durani (Pashto:سليم عزيز دراني;pronunciationⓘ; 11 December 1934 – 2 April 2023) was an Afghan-born Indiancricketer who played in 29Test matches from 1960 to 1973. An all-rounder, Durani was a slow left-arm orthodox bowler and a left-handed batsman famous for hissix-hitting prowess. He was the only Indian Test cricketer to have been born inAfghanistan.[5] He was the first cricketer to win anArjuna Award. In 2011, he was awarded theC. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest honour bestowed by the Indian cricket board on a former player.[6]
Salim Durani was born in aPashtun family inAfghanistan.[7][8] His fatherAbdul Aziz Durani was a professional cricketer. Impressed by his wicket-keeping and batting performances forNawanagar in their tour ofKarachi in 1935, Abdul Aziz was offered a job as asub-inspector by the then Jam SahibDigvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji, which was when the Durani family settled inJamnagar.[9] AfterIndia's partition in 1947, Aziz moved toPakistan, while his family stayed in Jamnagar. Future Pakistan national cricketerHanif Mohammad was Aziz's student there.[10][11]
Salim Durani leftKabul along with his parents when he was three years old.[12]
Durani was the hero of India's series victory against England in 1961–62. He took 8 and 10 wickets in their wins atKolkata andChennai, respectively. Also, a decade later, he would be instrumental in India's maiden victory[13] against theWest Indies atPort of Spain, taking the wickets ofClive Lloyd andGary Sobers.[14]
In his 50 Test innings, he made just onecentury, 104 against the West Indies in 1962. He played forGujarat,Rajasthan andSaurashtra in first-class cricket. He made 14 hundreds in first-class cricket and managed 8,545 runs at 33.37. Durani had a special rapport with the spectators, who once agitated when he was dropped from the team for theKanpur Test in 1973, turned up 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]
Durani appeared in the filmCharitra withParveen Babi in 1973.[16] He was the first cricketer to win anArjuna Award. He was awarded theC. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award by theBCCI in 2011.[6]
Salim Durani died from cancer on 2 April 2023, at the age of 88. He was living with his brother, Jahangir Durani, in Gujarat'sJamnagar and had undergone surgery for a thigh bone fracture earlier in the year.[17][18]
It was observed on numerous occasions, that Salim Durrani would hit a six on the demand of the audience in the cricket field. People also called him a romantic hero. Prime Minister of IndiaNarendra Modi expressed grief over his death.[19]