Haryana cricket great Rajinder Goel dies
Chandigarh, June 21
Haryana’s Rajinder Goel, one of the best and unluckiest cricketers of India, has died today at his residence. He was 77.
Goel, who had been keeping unwell for some time, held the record for most wickets in the Ranji Trophy, 637. The left-arm spinner’s First-Class career lasted from 1958 to 1985.
Goel was one of India’s best spin bowlers in the 1960s-70s but could not represent India because of the quality of spin-bowling talent available in India in that era. He came close in 1974 when he was included in India’s squad for the series against West Indies. He bought new boots, bat and the entire kit but was not included in the playing XI. Sunil Gavaskar noted in a tribute to him that Goel was one bowler he was “never comfortable against”.
A very simple, humble man. Highest wicket taker in his last first class season. 750 First- class wickets but never played for India. Was India’s loss. Rajinder Goel ji ko vinamra Shraddhanjali. Om Shanti pic.twitter.com/qTYvalr1nU
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) June 21, 2020
Goel was the recipient of the CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award by the Indian cricket board in 2017.
Goel’s career ran concurrently with that of Bishan Singh Bedi, rated among the greatest left-arm spinners of all time, so Goel could never make it to the Indian team.
750 wickets
Overall, Goel took 750 wickets First-Class cricket in a long and successful career in which he represented Patiala, Southern Punjab, Delhi and Haryana.
Born to an assistant station master at Narwana (then Punjab, now part of Haryana) in the Indian Railways in 1942, Goel first tasted success for North Zone schools in 1957. He made his Ranji debut in the next season, for Patiala, which later evolved into the Southern Punjab team. He moved to Delhi in 1963 and to Haryana 10 years later.
Goel played in an unofficial ‘Test’ against Ceylon at Ahmedabad in 1964-65 when he took four wickets in the second innings. Gavaskar, in his book ‘Idols’, noted that he felt the selectors did not really want to give him a chance in Test cricket because Bedi’s “return to the team would have been delayed for some time” if Goel had taken a few wickets.
