Brijesh Patel Wife, Age, Height, Teams, Career, Jersey Number

Abhishek Mukherjee explores the fascinating journey of Brijesh Patel, a spirited cricketer born on November 24, 1952. Hailing from Karnataka, Patel captivated crowds with his captivating performances, particularly against the formidable West Indies, where he consistently displayed his prowess in scoring big runs.

Age	70
Height	5’10” feet
Wife	Toral Patel
Jersey Number	30

Brijesh Patel Career

A crowd of people gathered on the ground, eagerly watching him. Brijesh Pursuram Patel was an exceptional strokeplayer, capable of dismantling any bowling attack on his day. His skills were unmatched, and he had the remarkable ability to score centuries after centuries, especially at the domestic level. Coupled with his handsome looks and impeccable French beard, Patel possessed what today’s generation refers to as the X-factor.

Patel was a larger-than-life cricketer who set the cricket grounds ablaze with his electrifying presence, both with the bat and in the field. Alongside Gundappa Viswanath, he played a crucial role in making Karnataka a formidable batting lineup during the 1970s. Patel’s exceptional fielding skills were often on display, particularly at cover and point positions.

In his international career, Patel scored 972 runs in 21 Tests at an average of 29.45, and 243 runs in 10 ODIs at an average of 30.37 for India. However, in First-Class cricket, his true prowess shone through as he amassed 11,911 runs at an impressive average of 45.63, including 37 centuries and 55 fifties. Patel’s remarkable performances in the Ranji Trophy earned him the record for the most runs (7,126 at 57) and centuries (26) in the tournament, though these records are currently held by Wasim Jaffer.

Notably, Patel’s Test career was defined by his exceptional performances against the West Indies. He holds the highest average (207 runs at 207) on West Indian soil among all cricketers, regardless of their nationality. Even if one excludes the venue restriction, his record against the West Indies stands at 349 runs at an average of 58.16. However, against other countries, his average drops to a modest 23.07.

During the tour of England, Patel began with an impressive unbeaten 107 against a formidable DH Robins’ XI, comprising of renowned bowlers such as John Lever, Fred Titmus, Derek Underwood, Mushtaq Mohammad, and Bob Woolmer. He followed it up with a remarkable 104 not out against Lancashire, rescuing his team from a precarious position at 117 for 4. These performances earned him a spot in the first Test at Old Trafford.

Unfortunately, India struggled throughout the series, losing all three Tests. Patel played in the first two matches but struggled against swing and could only manage 10 runs in four innings. Consequently, he was dropped for the third Test at Edgbaston. Patel’s form did not improve for the remainder of the tour, and he finished with 511 runs from 14 matches at an average of 26.89.

In the same season, Patel made his One-Day International (ODI) debut at Headingley. He scored a remarkable 82 runs off 78 balls, including eight fours and two sixes, becoming the highest-scoring Indian debutant in ODIs at that time. This innings remained Patel’s only ODI fifty.

After retiring from cricket, Patel entered the administrative realm and became the secretary of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) after defeating C Nagaraj in 1999. He successfully retained the post in 2007, winning against G Kasturi Rangan by a margin of 568 to 475 votes. In 2009, Patel proposed the Karnataka Premier League (KPL) to benefit district-level cricketers by involving private franchises.