Former cricketer Shodhan no more

According to informed sources he died of cardiac arrest today morning after a brief battle with lung cancer. 

Shodhan, a left-handed batsman who could bowl medium pace, played just three Tests in all averaging 60-plus after rescuing India from dire straits by scoring 110 not out in his debut innings against Pakistan in the fifth and final drawn Test at Kolkata in 1952-53, the first series between the two countries after partition. 

He had stepped in at No 8 with India tottering at 179 for 6 in reply to Pakitan’s 257 all out and he batted with Dattu Phadkar, GS Ramchand, wicketkeeper Prabir Sen and last man Ghulam Ahmed to guide the team to a 140-run lead. Shodhan, who had replaced the indisposed captain Vijay Hazare in the XI after being in the reserves, did not get a chance to bat in the second innings in the drawn game.