Happy Birthday, Roger Binny! Former Indian all-rounder turns 61
Happy Birthday, Roger Binny! Former Indian all-rounder turns 61
Born July 19, 1955, Roger Michael Humphrey Binny is one of the most successful bowlers of his time. The first Anglo-Indian to represent India, Binny was one of the architects of India’s prestigious 1983 World Cup victory. One of the finest swing bowlers the country has ever produced, Binny represented India in 27 Tests bagging 47 and 77 wickets from 72 One-Day Internationals (ODIs). Another attractive point of his career is his First-Class batting which averages 34.08 with 6579 runs. One of Binny’s most successful captain includes that of the 1983 World Cup one as he turned the saviour in crucial match against Australia. He has also been a very handy batsman for the national team and has been a regular member for around 7 years. READ: Roger Binny: Leading wicket-taker in 1983 World Cup
Roger Binny made his Test debut in 1979 against a touring Pakistan team. He picked up a wicket in both the innings and scored a gritty 46 batting at No. 6. His ODI debut came a year later, where he got a couple of wickets against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The initial few years remained decent but it was the 1983 World Cup that changed things around. His contributions were pivotal in the tournament as he remained consistent with wickets, turning out to be the highest wicket-taker with 18 wickets, and also helped with crucial runs down the order. His best performance came against Australia in India’s final match in the group stage. Indian innings skittled for a par 247 but they came back with their bowling as Binny took 4 wickets for just 29 runs. India bundled Australia for 129 to qualify for the semi-final. In the final, Binny picked up the wicket of Clive Llyod. Another of his crucial spell was in Leeds as he played a major role in India’s 279-run victory in the Test match with his 5-wicket-haul in first innings.
Binny later took up the role of coach for Bengal Ranji team and the Under-19 Indian team that won the world cup in 2000. He was also the member of the selection committee of senior Indian team. His son Stuart Binny is a member of the Indian team. Here’s wishing the cricketer a very happy birthday!