Name Hindi: चंदू बोर्डे / Gender Man
Chandu Borde – Indian Cricket Legend
Chandrakant Sitaram Borde, popularly known as Chandu Borde, is one of the most notable figures in the world of cricket. He was born on July 21, 1934, in Pune, Maharashtra. One of India’s finest all-rounders in his prime, his contributions to Indian cricket are immense and significant.
Career Beginnings
Borde’s journey into professional cricket began when he was just a teenager. Trained at the Deccan Gymkhana in Pune, he demonstrated prodigious talent with both bat and ball early on. His first-class debut came for Baroda against Saurashtra during the 1952-53 Ranchi Trophy, where his solid performance caught attention.
International Career
Chandu Borde kicked off his international career debuting for India during its tour to West Indies in 1958. From there on, Borde went on to secure numerous victories for India thanks to his prowess with both bat and ball.
- In 1967, during India’s tour to England, he scored back-to-back centuries (117 at Leeds and 104* at Edgbaston) that were instrumental in setting the tone for the series.
- In total, he has played 55 Test matches from 1958 till 1970 scoring 3061 runs at an average of 35.60 which includes five hundreds and eighteen fifties.
Moreover, as a leg spinner himself he picked up thirty-seven wickets overall. - The charismatic player captained the Indian team in one Test Match
Rewards & Recognition
Borde’s excellent contributions to Indian cricket were recognized and rewarded many times. For instance, he received the Arjuna Award in 1966 conferred by the government of India. In 2002, he was also awarded the prestigious Padma Bhushan.
Post Cricketing Career
After retiring from international cricket, Chandu Borde served as a selector for the Indian cricket team and took up various administrative roles in relation with BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India).Quite notably, he was appointed as the Chairman of Selectors between 1999-2000 and again between 2007-08.
In addition, after Greg Chappell’s resignation post the World Cup debacle in 2007, Borde worked as an interim cricket manager for the tour to Bangladesh & UK assisting both Rahul Dravid who led the Test side and MS Dhoni responsible for One Day International fixtures.
Inspiring countless budding cricketers across generations, Chandu Borde continues to be one of the much-respected names in the world of cricket.
