Nari Contractor Biography 
Nariman Jamshedji Contractor, shortly called Nari Contractor is a former cricketer from Godhra, Gujarat. He played international test matches for India in the 1950s and early 1960s. An all-rounder of the time and opening batsman, his career ended abruptly following a serious injury in 1962. He played his last test match the same year against West Indies. Associated with first class cricket he made his international debut on 2 December 1955 v New Zealand. He played 31 test matches for team India scoring 1611 runs in total with a batting average of 31.58 runs. He scored one century and eleven half-centuries during his test career. He also took a single wicket in his test cricket career.
Contractor was considered a glamour boy of Indian cricket during his younger days. He was born on 7 March 1934 in Godhra, Gujarat. He played his first first-class match when the captain of the team got injured. He made use of the opportunity and scored hundreds in both innings of his debut. He is only the first Indian player to do so and the second one in first class cricket after Arthur Morris of Australia. In 1959 though he suffered from two broken ribs at Lords in the first innings, he stayed in the game to score 81 runs in the second innings.
He was hit on the head by a Charlie Griffith bouncer in 1962 which ended his career. In those days when helmets were used in test matches, it was indeed a serious injury. A steel wire mesh had to be inserted in his skull and with true spirit he decided to wear pads and return to game after a break of one year. Though he made enough runs in the domestic cricket to give him a call in the international cricket team, selectors didn’t want to risk fielding him again. He made 2,535 runs in the second half of his career. Now also a free spirited player aged 75 plus, he wants to play IPL games.
Published: N/A
Updated: April 09, 2016
