Jasu Patel Biography 
Jasu Patel, also addressed as Jasu M. Patel and Jasubhai Motibhai Patel was an Indian cricketer of 20th century. He was an off-spinner who played Test cricket for India in the 1950s. He played a total of 7 test matches and 68 FC matches, claiming 29 and 248 wickets respectively. He, along with Vijay S. Hazare became the first cricketers to received Padma Shri award, and he won it in the year 1960, just three years after the award was given for the first time. Both the players hailed from Gujarat.
Jasubhai Motibhai Patel was born on 26 November 1924 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. At the age of 10, he broke his arm falling from a tree and for the same reason he had a jerky bowling action, often considered suspicious by a few. He began his first-class career in 1943-44 and played regularly for Gujarat for many years in domestic cricket. After playing for many years in domestic cricket, he established only in 1950-51 season, when he took 5 for 43 and 6 for 61 against Baroda, and 8 for 53 and 5 for 28 against Services.
Though he was less known for his batting contributions to his team, on the final match of Ranji Trophy against Holkar, he batted on position 8 and scored 152 in two hours when his team was in a pathetic state at 167 for 8, surprising everyone. 136 runs were made in the last wicket partnership changing the whole game, and it’s his only century registered in a first class match.
He played for India against the Commonwealth XI in 1953-54, and also toured in Pakistan, taking 35 wickets at an average of 10.71. He made his Test debut in the Fifth Test against Pakistan and took three wickets. Since then he played with national team till 1960.
Published: January 30, 2019
Updated: January 30, 2019
