RP Singh mourns former first-class cricketer Vasant Raiji's demise

Former India pacer Rudra Pratap Singh on Saturday mourned the demise of former first-class cricketer Vasant Raiji, who passed away earlier today.

Former India pacer Rudra Pratap Singh on Saturday mourned the demise of former first-class cricketer Vasant Raiji, who passed away earlier today. Raiji, India's oldest first-class cricketer, celebrated his 100th birthday earlier this year with legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar and others.

Taking to Twitter, RP wrote, "#RIP #VasantRaiji who was India's oldest first-class cricketer. Recently, he had celebrated his life's century with cricket legends. All-rounder in real life, Raiji was also a cricket historian and chartered accountant!" The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed the demise of the cricketer and historian.

When India played its maiden Test on home soil, Raiji, who was 13-year-old, managed to witness the historic match at the Bombay Gymkhana in 1932. He later made his first-class debut for the Cricket Club of India against Central Provinces and Berar in Nagpur in 1939.

Raiji made his Bombay (now Mumbai) debut in 1941 and opened the innings under the captaincy of Vijay Merchant. The match ended in a draw with Bombay securing a first-innings lead. Later in his career, Raiji also played for Baroda. He played nine first-class matches and scored 277 runs with two fifties.

After his retirement, he joined his family business, but a passion for cricket kept him associated with the sport. He was a founding member of the Jolly Cricket Club in Mumbai and wrote books on Ranjitsinhji, Duleepsinhji, Victor Trumper, CK Nayudu and LP Jai. He also loved collecting books and memorabilia. (ANI)

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