Pravin Hansraj was an Indian cricketer who did gain recognition in domestic cricket by playing for Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy. Born on 24 July 1938, in Karachi, British India, he crossed over to India and continued his cricketing career. He was not such a well-known personality in international cricket, but his contribution in domestic cricket was worth mentioning.

Early Life and Cricket Career

Born passionate about cricket at an early age, Pravin Hansraj would eventually grow up to be one of the promising all-rounders. He batted right-handed and bowled with his left arm at a medium pace-a perfect combination in playing a useful role for the team.

He played first-class cricket from 1963 to 1966. He represented Saurashtra in India’s top domestic competition, the Ranji Trophy. During his career, he played nine matches, and he was of value both as a batsman and a bowler.

As a batsman, Hansraj played 14 innings and gathered a total of 81 runs. His high score was that of 20 runs. Of course, not a great career as a batter, but again, his overall strength was undoubtedly bowling. So, as a bowler, he bowled 908 deliveries, giving 516 runs to the opponent with 16 wickets. Among those, one was 5 wickets in an innings giving 57 runs.

Personal Life and Legacy

Personal life apart from cricket, Pravin Hansraj was a very family-oriented man. He is the father of Jugal Hansraj, who is a Bollywood actor and filmmaker. Even after retiring from professional cricket, his love for the game never diminished.

In recognition of his passion for and contribution to cricket, his family set up the Hansraj Cricket Foundation in 2015. The purpose of the foundation was to grow and develop the cricketing skills of young minds so that time would not dim his passion for the game.

Death and Remembering His Contributions

Pravin Hansraj expired on January 28, 2014. He was at the age of 75 and lived in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Although his cricketing career has not been particularly basked in glory, the passion and enthusiasm he provided to the sport inspire young cricketers across the globe to follow in his footsteps.

The stories of such domestics are really a testament to the passion and dedication of those who may have never been identified internationally but did so much in Indian cricket.