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The Rajkumar of Vizianagram - 1936 All-India captain
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The Rajkumar of Vizianagram - 1936 All-India captain
Cricket - 1936 All-India Tour of England
The Rajkumar of Vizianagram (aka Vizzy ), Vijay Ananda Gajapathi Raju, captain of the 1936 All India Tour of England.
The 1936 All India side has been described as the one of the most unhappy and poorly led teams of all time. The captain was the Maharajah (Prince) of Vizianagram, nicknamed Vizzy, an untalented player who had gained the position through extensive political lobbying, his familys wealth, and his standing as a prominent cricket sponsor in India.
In all the team won just 4 of the 28 first-class games played, losing 12, and lost the three-match Test series 2-0. Vizzys on-field strategy was described by the post-tour enquiry as disastrous...he did not understand field placings or bowling changes and never maintained any regular batting order, and in the test series he scored 33 runs at 8.25 batting at no.9 and not bowling. He ostracised many of the players with his manner off the pitch too, leaving many players out of the team for weeks on end.
However the incident that caused major controversy was when star all-rounder Lala Amarnath was sent home for reportedly swearing in Punjabi (a language Vizzy didn t even speak) after having been made to wait by his captain for hours padded up while suffering with a bad back as others were sent in to bat above him. Many believe the punishment was politically motivated as Amarnath, who came from a poor background, was not only the best player in the side but the most natural leader. The enquiry later exonerated Armarnath of any blame. Despite all this, during the trip Vizzy was fast-tracked into the MCC and became the only active test player in history to be knighted
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The Rajkumar of Vizianagram - 1936 All-India captain (Cricket - 1936 All-India Tour of England) In this historic photo print, we see the Rajkumar of Vizianagram, also known as Vizzy, leading the 1936 All India cricket team during their tour of England. However, behind this seemingly triumphant moment lies a tale of controversy and disappointment. Vizzy's appointment as captain was marred by allegations of political lobbying and his family's wealth rather than his cricketing skills. As the leader, he failed to inspire his team to success, with only four wins out of twenty-eight first-class games played. The three-match Test series ended in a disappointing 2-0 loss for India. Not only did Vizzy lack strategic understanding on the field but off it too; he alienated many players and showed favoritism towards certain individuals. The most infamous incident occurred when star player Lala Amarnath was sent home for alleged swearing in Punjabi, a language that Vizzy didn't even understand. Many believed this punishment was politically motivated. Despite these shortcomings and controversies surrounding him, Vizzy managed to secure a knighthood from MCC during the tour – an unprecedented achievement for an active test player. This print captures both the glory and turmoil experienced by Indian cricket during that era. It serves as a reminder that leadership should be earned through merit rather than privilege or influence.
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