Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar 14.11.2013

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar (born 24 April 1973) is a former Indian cricketer and captain, widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of all time. He took up cricket at the age of eleven, made his Test debut on 15 November 1989 against Pakistan in Karachi at the age of sixteen, and went on to represent Mumbai domestically and India internationally for close to twenty-four years. He is the only player to have scored one hundred international centuries, the first batsman to score a double century in a One Day International, the holder of the record for the number of runs in both ODI and Test cricket, and the only player to complete more than 30,000 runs in international cricket.
Tendulkar received the Arjuna Award in 1994 for his outstanding sporting achievement, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 1997, India's highest sporting honour, and the Padma Shri and Padma Vibhushan awards in 1999 and 2008, respectively, India's fourth and second highest civilian awards. After a few hours of his final match on 16 November 2013, he was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award. He is the youngest recipient to date and the first ever sportsperson to receive the award. He also won the 2010 Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for cricketer of the year at the ICC awards. In 2012, Tendulkar was nominated to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Parliament of India. He was also the first sportsperson and the first person without an aviation background to be awarded the honorary rank of group captain by the Indian Air Force. In 2012, he was named an Honorary Member of the Order of Australia.

70th Anniversary of Tamilnadu Cricket Association 24.1.2007

One of the leading Cricket Associations in the country today, the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association was established in 1930 for promoting and popularizing the game of cricket in the State. The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association was also among the founder units of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and has played a significant role in shaping the objectives and activities of the Board over the last five decades.

Famous Cricketers of India 15.3.1996

Cricket in India is not just a game it is almost a religion. The famous cricketers depicted on the stamps on this FDC are (lkeft to right):-

Col. C.K. Nayudu (1895 - 1967) was India's first captain in Text Cricket and the best all-rounder of the time. A right handed batsman, he was a hard-hitting player, driving on both sides of the wicket and was also a more than useful slow-medium change bowler, with a controlled spin. With a career from 1916 to 1964, he became the elder statesman of Indian Cricket, playing in a first class match in his sixty ninth year. He Played 207 matches and 7 tests with a run total of 11,852 (average 33.94) and his highest score was 200, 411 wickets, 171 catches and 1 stumping. he was the first Indian cricketer to be honoured with "Padma Bhushan" by the Government of India in 1955 in recognition to his contribution to the development of sports. The Board of Control for Cricket in in India has instituted "Col. C.K. Nayudu Trophy" for cricketers under 22 years of age in 1974-75 as a tribute to him.

Vinoo Mankad (12 April 1917 – 21 August 1978), full name Mulvantrai Himmatlal Mankad, was best known for his world record opening partnership of 413 runs, with Pankaj Roy, in 1956, a record that stood for 52 years. An opening batsman and slow left arm orthodox bowler, he played in 44 Tests for India, and made 2109 runs at an average of 31.47 including five Test centuries with a top score of 231. He also took 162 wickets at an average of 32.32, including eight five-wicket hauls. He is one of the three cricketers to have batted in every position, from the first to the last, during his Test career.

Prof. D.B. Deodhar (1892 - 1993) was popularly known as the grand old man of Indian Cricket. he was the oldest first class cricketer at the time of his death and was the last of the cricketers who made their first class debut before the first World War, in the year 1911-12. He was a solid right-handed middle-order batsman. He was Vice President of the BCCI and was also a national selector. He was President of the Maharashtra Cricket Association since its inception. Deodhar Trophy, a limited over inter-zonal competition played in India since 1973, is named after him. He played 81 matches, scored 4522 runs (average 39.32) and a highest score of 246; 11 wickets; 70 catches.

Vijay Merchant (1911-1987) was an outstanding Test batsman. His comparatively small physique did not handicap him, for what he lacked in reach was compensated by perfect footwork and quick reflexes. Right-handed, his cutting, both square and late, was brilliant, and he hooked, drove (especially the fast bowlers) and played the ball off his legs with mastery. He was a careful builder of an inning and there was something softly feline about him at the wicket. He played 150 matches and 10 Tests with 13, 470 runs (average 71.64) and a highest score of 359 not out; 65 wickets; 115 catches.

Cricket Victories in 1971 30.12.1971

In the annals of Indian Cricketing, 1971 will long be remembered. It was in this year the Indian Cricket Team won two rubbers in a row, one against the powerful West Indies team and the other against England, on English soil. During the tour of the West Indies from Feb. 1971 to April 1971, the Indian team led by Ajit Wadekar gave a very good account of themselves, winning the second test at Trinidad, the other four tests having ended in a draw. The tour was remarkable in many ways, India discovered a new batting hero in the young Sunil Gavaskar. The second test won by the Indian team at Trinidad (this test marked the silver anniversary of games between India and the West Indies) was also the first test ever won against the powerful West Indies team. The Indian success was mainly built around the three spinners, Prasanna, Bedi and Venkat Raghavan and the batting support of Gavaskar and Sardesai, under the inspiring captainship of Wadekar. Close on heels after the remarkable test win against the West Indies, India gained a few months later (on 24th August 1971 to be exact), her first Test Victory on English soil against England (and with it the rubber) at Kennington Oval, the scene of many memorable Test struggles since 1880. Again the honour of captaining the winning team went to Ajit Wadekar, who was ably assisted by the spinners Venkat Raghavan and Chandrasekhar. Out of the 3 Tests played two (played at Lord's and Trent Bridge) ended in a draw, and India won the third test at the Oval by four wickets. The Indian P&T Department takes this opportunity to greet the victorious Indian team and its Captain and have great pleasure in commemorating these historic victories by bringing out a special stamp dedicated to the lovers of the game in India and elsewhere. The design of the stamp is horizontal and depicts a cricketeer in characteristic poses of batting, bowling and wicket-keeping.

The stamp depicts a cricketer's in characteristic poses of batting, bowling and wicket-keeping.