Pankaj Roy

Photos: Pankaj Roy

Vinoo Mankad and Pankaj Roy share world record opening partnership

Pankaj Roy Biography

Hailing from a zamindar family of Bhagyakul (his ancestors were so rich that they granted a loan to Indian Bank), the bespectacled Pankaj Roy is the greatest opener to emerge from Bengal. With his infallible concentration and rock-solid technique, Roy was a regular feature at the top of the order for India in the 1950s, opening batting with 12 different partners.

Remembered most for the 413-run world record opening stand with Vinoo Mankad that stood half a century, Roy’s career average of 32.56 has a lot to do with his terrible record in England, where he managed an abysmal 13.70 from 9 Tests. Almost as compensation, he mastered West Indies at their den in the 1952-53 series, with 383 runs at 47.87.

Roy started off as a prodigous dual-sportsperson before quitting football. He scored 112 not out on First-Class debut. Drafted into Test cricket, Roy scored a masterful 140 against England in his second Test, and outdid himself three Tests later against the same opposition at Madras, when his 111 and Polly Umrigar’s 130 helped India pull off their first Test victory. Four months later he scored four consecutive ducks in England.

The selectors kept faith in him, and he paid them back with a match-saving 150 at Sabina Park. However, his greatest moment came in 1958-59 after he scored hundreds in four consecutive First-Class innings. He batted 444 minutes at Bombay to save the Test against Roy Gilchrist, Wes Hall, Garry Sobers, and Sonny Ramadhin after India were set to bat almost 10 hours. The following year he led India for the only time.

He met his old mate Gilchrist in the Ranji Trophy quarter-final of 1962-63 again: Gilchrist had vowed to put at least six Bengal batsmen to the hospital, but Roy, staying up all night nursing a bed-ridden relative, held fort with 112 and 118, eliminating Hyderabad single-handedly.

Roy was awarded Padma Shri in 1975, and was appointed Sheriff of Bengal in 2000 — a year before he passed away. His nephew Ambar and son Pranab also played Tests, while his brother Nemailal played for Bengal.

Abhishek Mukherjee

Pankaj Roy Batting & Fielding Averages

Career	M	In	R	NO	HS	Avg	BF	SR	100s	50s	4s	6s	Ct	St
Test	43	79	2442	4	173	32.56	--	--	5	9	100	--	16	0
ODIs	0	--	--	--		--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
T20s	0	--	--	--		--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
World Cup	0	--	--	--		--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--

Pankaj Roy Bowling Averages

Career	M	B	R	W	Avg	EC	SR	5WI	10WM	BBI	BBM
Test	43	104	66	1	66.00	3.807	104	0	0	1/6	1/6
ODIs	0	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
T20s	0	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
World Cup	0	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--		--

Pankaj Roy Career statistics

News ON Pankaj Roy

BCCI honour Virat Kohli, Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana with Best International Cricketer Awards

Harmanpreet Kaur won the inaugural award for Best International Cricketer — Female, while Smriti Mandhana won it for the second season. ...

Diana Edulji, Pankaj Roy recommended for CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award

The three-member panel that send the recommendations comprised eminent journalist N Ram, acting president CK Khanna and acting ...

Gavaskar surname wasn’t a deterrent, says Rohan

By CricketCountry Staff

Carrying a famous surname, the biggest challenge for Rohan was to have his ...

More News on Pankaj Roy

Features ON Pankaj Roy

Indian captaincy, a farcical musical chairs – six captains in seven Tests!

Polly Umrigar. Ghulam Ahmed. Vinoo Mankad. Hemu Adhikari. Datta Gaekwad. Pankaj Roy.

Pankaj Roy: A gutsy career of highs and lows

Pankaj Roy was an India and Bengal opening batsman, best known for being one-half of the highest opening partnership of his time — a ...

Pankaj — Bengal’s Forgotten Cricket Legend: a review

Pankaj is a good attempt that one would expect other Indian cricket historians to follow.

India tour of England 2014: The visitor’s record at Trent Bridge

In five Tests at Trent Bridge, India have won one and lost two.

Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid’s opening partnership almost breaks world record

On January 16, 2006, Indian batsmen Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid went agonisingly close to breaking a world record and would have ...

Vinoo Mankad, Pankaj Roy add Test record 413 runs for opening wicket

January 7, 1956, was a landmark day in Indian cricket. It witnessed what many still consider is India’s proudest statistical pointer ...

More Features on Pankaj Roy

ENG vs WI: विंडीज ने 32 साल पहले जीती थी इंग्‍लैंड में आखिरी टेस्‍ट सीरीज, जानें क्‍या कहते हैं आंकड़े !

'कैप्टन कूल' धोनी ने ऐसे बदली भारतीय क्रिकेट की तस्वीर

जानिए ICC के तीनों टूर्नामेंट जीतने वाले दुनिया के इकलौते कप्तान MS Dhoni से जुड़े रिकॉर्ड्स के बारे में

जानिए, महेंद्र सिंह धोनी के टिकट कलेक्‍टर से सर्वश्रेष्‍ठ कप्‍तान बनने तक की कहानी

जॉन राइट: वो कोच जिसने टीम इंडिया को सिखाया था 'जीत का विज्ञान'