Budhi Kunderan

Budhi Kunderan Biography

Budhi Kunderan was born before his times. Yet he was also a man who could embrace the constraints of his day like no other.

When he was chosen for his debut Test against Australia at Brabourne Stadium, Bombay, Kunderan was 20, seeped in poverty, did not have a room to himself, and was yet to play a Ranji Trophy match. He kept wickets in the Test while sleeping under open skies, in an outdoor garden. Perhaps the only cricketer to do so.

He was the precursor of the modern-day sensation MS Dhoni, a fascinating template which the current day great seems to have taken to the logical conclusion. He was the trendsetting wicketkeeper who could cross over to the front of the stumps with élan and dazzle the ground with swashbuckling feats of his willow. If one-day cricket had seeped into the cricketing calendar during his days, he could have been one of the superstars of the game.

His two hundreds as opening batsman against England in 1963-64 showed the tremendous ability and zeal in the man. Sadly, those remained the only hundreds of his career.

However, his versatility extended to acts without gloves and pads as well. He was a fine fielder even when not ’keeping, and in the final Test of a career cruelly cut short, he also opened the bowling for India. Yes, he was a prototype for Dhoni in more than one way.

But, not only was he born way ahead of his times to venture in the format of the game which would have suited him to perfection, he was also unlucky to share his prime with another superb keeper, who like him could bat at the top of the order with almost equal nonchalance. In spite of his versatile brilliance, he could never be sure of his place in the national squad. Much of his career was spent in a concurrent game of musical chairs with the equally flamboyant Farokh Engineer.

In 18 Tests Kunderan scored 981 runs at an average of 32.70. As wicketkeeper he claimed 7 stumpings and took 21 catches in 15 of the Tests. In addition he made 2 other catches as an outfielder.

He later settled down in Scotland, where he breathed his last.

Arunabha Sengupta

Budhi Kunderan Batting & Fielding Averages

Career

Avg

100s

50s

Test

ODIs

T20s

World Cup

Budhi Kunderan Bowling Averages

Career	M	B	R	W	Avg	EC	SR	5WI	10WM	BBI	BBM
Test	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
ODIs	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
T20s	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
World Cup	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--		--