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Though he may not have seen himself becoming a sportsperson, destiny led him to become the most appreciable scout in the history of Indian cricket. Credited with the discovery of the finest Indian cricketers and bringing a refinery to the mannerism of the team, Raj Singh Dungarpur was no less than a gem.
Passed away on 12th September 2009
One needs to be an exceptionally talented and determined player to make it to the Indian cricket team. But what often gets overlooked is how observant and skillful a scout has to be to pick the best talent from a pool of players in a heavily populated country. Born as the youngest son of Maharwal Lakshman Singhji- the last ruler of Dungarpur, Raj Singh Dungarpur probably never imagined he'd play cricket. He studied at the Daly college in Indore, where he was groomed to be a well-rounded individual- having impeccable manners, a command over the English language, and unsurprisingly, cricket.
It was during his days at Daly College that his talent was spotted. He was a medium-paced bowler with an enviable knack for swing- a skill that takes years to master. Although he played for the Christian college in Indore, the state of Rajasthan, and the Central zone in the Ranji and Duleep Trophy, he never made it to the Indian Cricket Team.
When he moved to Bombay, he joined the Cricket Club of India. His ability to stay above the plebian politics was impressive and almost 'patrician' in style. He fondly came to be known as 'Rajbhai'. Raj Singh was praised internationally for his diplomacy and impeccable managerial capabilities as he accompanied a graceful and controlled Indian Cricket team through the tours in Pakistan and England.
Dungarpur presided over some of the most important events in the history of Indian cricket when he was appointed the chairman of the selection committee in 1988, and served as the president of the BCCI from 1996-99. He is also credited with the founding of the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore in 2000.
Sachin Tendulkar was one of the most remarkable cricketers around the world, and it wouldn't have been true had the 16-year-old not been selected to play for India in the 1989-90 tour of Pakistan. When Raj Singh realized that Tendulkar had the potential of being a world-class player, he amended the rule of the CCI so that the young boy could get acquainted with the gentlemen's dressing rooms.
When Dungarpur realized that the team needed a new captain, he approached Mohammad Azharuddin and asked, "Miyan, Captain Banoge?" (Miyan, would you like to be the captain?) Azharuddin accepted.
His opinions and decisions were often autocratic and not pleasing to everyone. But his actions were sincere, and his devotion to the game was unparalleled. His memory was marvelous as he could recall all scores of every Ashes test match.
Although Raj Singh loved cricket, he also had feelings for Lata Mangeshkar. However, as most tragic love stories are, they never got to marry each other, though they helped one another through various charitable projects. Maybe Raj Singh courted cricket so furiously because his marriage to Lata Mangeshkar would never have been accepted by his family of royals.
Dungarpur died of Alzheimer's on 12th September 2009. Even though he was out of cricket, cricket wasn't out of him. When his nephew came at a dead end in his attempts to get Dungarpur to talk, he held up a photograph of Sir Don Bradman up to him and whispered- 'Don'. Upon looking at the photo, Raj Singh immediately responded, as if to correct him, "not Don, Donald George Bradman". These were the last words spoken by the 73-year-old before he died that day.
Raj Singh Dungarpur represented an era of cricket that well and truly ended with him. He will always be remembered for spotting talent, being stern, sincere, and making cricket accessible to people from all strata of society.
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