Vijay Merchant Biography 
Vijay Merchant was an Indian cricket player. His real name was Vijay Madhavji Thakersey. He was a right handed batsman and right arm medium pace bowler. He took part in first class cricket representing Mumbai cricket team. He had played 10 Test matches in the time period between 1929 and 1951. His batting average of 71.64 is enough to prove his intelligence. This is the second highest average in the world next to Don Bradman.
He was born on 12th October 1911 in Mumbai in a wealthy family. He studied at Sydebham College and served as the captain of the college cricket team. Then he was selected for Hindus cricket team in 1929. He scored 504 runs and took 29 wickets in the inter-collegiate cricket. He was then called to play in the Indian team and met English team at Bombay Gymkhana. This was the first Test match ever played on Indian soil. He considered the other cricketer of the time Vijay Hazare as his rival.
In his cricket career of 18 years he had played only ten Test matches. He could not perform much during the best years of his career due to Second World War. Owing to his poor health, he could not take part in the tours to Australia and West Indies. In his final Test match against England that took place in Delhi he scored his highest, 154 runs.
He is considered to be the founder the Bombay School of Batsmanship. He had scored over 4000 runs and his international career included two tours abroad. He has a share in the Thakersey Group of Companies. He is also a writer and the charitable advocate of the handicapped. His brother Uday was also a cricket player.
In the Ranji Trophy matches his average was 98.75 in 47 innings. This was really an impressive score in that time. He was crowned the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1937. He died on 27th October 1987.
Published: N/A
Updated: September 22, 2011
