‘Buck’ is the name!

An enthusiastic right-hand medium-fast paced bowler who swung his arm to hit the stumps in the colonial era, completed his education in England and spent his finest days learning the tricks of Cricket on English pitch. When India won its first ever cricket match in 1952, it was against the English in Madras, he was one of the 11 men on field!

Ramesh Divecha famously called 'Buck' Divecha; Image Source: CRICKETCOUNTRY.COM

Brought to India by the Englishmen in colonial era, Cricket saw affluent Indian men joining the club as the game was none other than an elite way of life. A sport to be played with leisure, Ramesh Vithaldas ‘Buck’ Divecha had the virtues of a Gentleman for the game is popularly known to be “the game of gentlemen”.

Amidst World War II, India’s freedom struggle was at peak in 1942 when Quit India Movement was initiated by people’s man, Mahatma Gandhi. He urged every Indian regardless of his status in the colonial Indian society to step forth and dutifully take part in the nationwide protest.

During these days Divecha also took part in the mass disobedience movement against the British rule leading to his arrest for misconduct according to colonial rules. He was then a student of Wilson College and after his arrest and return from jail with no charges he left any sort of student activism as warned by his family.

After the Wilson College incident, he limited his fierce revolutionary involvement and started pursuing cricket with great interest. His father Vithaldas J. Divecha was a cricket aficionado who also held revered posts of President of Bombay Cricket Association and Vice – President of BCCI.

Ramesh’s exuberant cricket performances in England shot him to fame amongst other English players there. Who named him ‘Buck’ Divecha an alliteration similar to his middle name.

Born in Kadakvadi, Maharashtra on 18th October 1927 Buck was part of a family very social in nature. Cricket parties and family outings to Test matches of Cricket was common in his childhood. He would find himself surrounded by the eminent cricket players of those days in his home during get-togethers, his father played a huge role in influencing Ramesh.

Ramesh Buck’s presence in the Indian Cricket team responsible for India’s first-ever win in the game in 1952 was phenomenal.

Yet his presence in cricket was short-lived! A reason behind him getting nearly lost in the spirals of history was his even shorter cricket career in India. He had been part of just six Ranji Trophy matches, four for Saurashtra, one for Bombay and one for Madhya Pradesh.

His early retirement from Cricket was met with another stint in an elite sport – Golf!

An executive of top-notch companies like Burmah Shell and Mahindra & Mahindra, Ramesh Buck Divecha, a man of great deeds, famous for his short yet commendable stints in various walks of life didn’t care about his name fading from the golden book of history, for he never failed to make a corner in the hearts of those who came in contact with him.

India in England, 1952. Back, from left: Gulabrai Ramchand, Polly Umrigar, Probir Sen, Ghulam Ahmad, Nirode ‘Putu’ Chowdhury, Madhav Mantri, Ramesh ‘Buck’ Divecha, Hiralal Gaekwad, CD Gopinath. Middle, from left: Chandu Sarwate, Hemu Adhikari, Vijay Hazare (c), Sadhu Shinde, Dattu Phadkar. Front, from left: Pankaj Roy, Datta Gaekwad, Vijay Manjrekar; Image Source: GETTY IMAGES