Name Hindi: शुट बनर्जी / Gender Man
Shute Banerjee: Profile
Shute Banerjee, born on 20th November 1911 was a renowned cricketer who played an instrumental role in shaping the panorama of Indian cricket. His name is inscribed amongst the early stalwarts who represented India at international level cricket. Hailing from Chinsurah, West Bengal, this right-arm fast-medium bowler made his debut into first-class cricket by playing for Bihar in the Ranji Trophy in the year 1935/36.
Career Highlights
- Ranji Trophy Debut: Shute Banerjee’s career took off when he debuted for Bihar against Ceylon, making him one of the earliest players to represent Bihar (now Jharkhand) in Ranji trophy.
- Fairytale Season: In his second season, Banerjee showed incredible form taking as many as 21 wickets which resulted in Bihar reaching its only Ranji final in history where they were defeated by Bombay after giving them a good fight.
- International Recognition: After impressive stint with Bihar and Bengal and due to his excellent performances at domestic arena, he was picked up for International matches. He earned his first Test cap against England in August 1946, thereby becoming the eighth Bengali to play test cricket.
- The Tie-makers: Banerjee along with Chandu Sarwate scripted history during Indians tour of Australia,1950 when they forged an unforgettable partnership of 249 runs for the last wicket setting several records still intact.
- Prolific Career Spanning Two Decades:This legendary cricketer had a luminous career span of over two decades wherein he took 92 wickets in total, demonstrating his knack for the game and prowess as a player.
Off-field Contributions
In addition to sparkling on field performances, Shute Banerjee made significant contributions off the pitch as well. After hanging up his boots in 1958-59, he stepped into the shoes of an impeccable cricket administrator with Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB). He served as the chairman of CAB’s selection committee.
A Legacy Etched in Time
Banerjee‘s impactful performances coupled with his commitment towards promoting cricket left an indelible mark on Indian cricket. Though this legendary sportsperson is no more amongst us, having passed away at a ripe age of 72 on August 25th 1984, his unforgettable contributions continue to be cherished by avid followers of cricket even today. A true inspiration for budding cricketers!
