Kamal Ghorui
MUMBAI: 96-year-old CD Gopinath passed away in Chennai on Thursday. Hailing from Chennai (formerly Madras), Chingleput Doraikannu (CD) Gopinath, who played eight Tests between 1951-60, was previously India’s oldest living cricketer. Gopinath was the last survivor of India’s first-ever Test win, over England, at Madras in 1952.Following his demise, former India, Mumbai, and Maharashtra wicketkeeper-batter Chandu Patankar, aged 95 years and 136 days, is now the oldest-living Indian Test cricketer.
Patankar played one Test for India against New Zealand in 1955. “Yes, someone gave me the sad news of Gopinath’s demise today. A friend informed me that I’m now the oldest-living Indian Test cricketer,” Patankar told TOI. Asked about how he managed to keep himself going in the 90s, Patankar said, “It’s God’s grace. I do not make any extra effort.” Following his retirement, Patankar served as the secretary of the Cricket Club of India for several years. A wicketkeeper and a lower-order batter in his time, Patankar played one Test, the New Year’s Test against New Zealand at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata in December 1955. He scored 13 and an unbeaten 1 in that match. He also ended up taking three catches and effected one stumping in the first innings. However, he dropped a difficult skier and was removed from the playing XI for the fifth Test played at Madras’ Corporation Stadium.A Parel resident, Patankar was born in Pen in the Raigad district of Maharashtra. He attended the Bombay University and gained an MSc. He played first-class cricket for Bombay from 1950 to 1966, then switched to Maharashtra in his last season (1966–67). Patankar replaced his Bombay wicketkeeping colleague Naren Tamhane, who was injured, for the fourth game of the five-match Test series against Harry Cave’s New Zealand in 1955–56, but lost his place when Tamhane replaced him for the final game of the series. Patankar thus belongs to a list of 51 cricketers, six wicketkeepers among them, to have featured in just one Test for India.Patankar is known to be a “fine human being” by those who are close to him. In October 2022, Patankar made it a point to go to the Wankhede Stadium premises and vote in the elections of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA). He also attended the Wankhede Stadium’s 50th anniversary celebration in Jan 2025.
