There are many cricketers who get the opportunity to play for their national team for the first time in their late 20s. However, it is really rare for a cricketer to make his international debut in his late 30s.
What’s surprising is that there have been quite a few cricketers who have made their Test debut for India in their late 30s. Here are the 5 Indians cricketers who played their first Test match after the age of 37 –
#1 Rustomji Jamshedji
Jamshedji played his first Test match for India against England in 1933 at the age of 41 and that turned out to be the first and last Test match of his career.
Jamshedji was a left arm spinner who bowled 35 overs in his debut Test match and grabbed three wickets at the cost of 137 runs.
#2 Cotah Ramaswamy:
Cotah Ramaswamy also didn’t have a very long Test career just like Jamshedji. He was 40-year old when he played Test match cricket for the first time.
Ramaswamy played a couple of Test matches and ended up with a very decent record. He was a left-handed batsman who scored 170 runs in two Test matches that he played at an average of 56.66. Ramaswamy’s highest Test score was 60.
#3 Amir Elahi:
Amir Elahi was one of those cricketers who represented both India and Pakistan in Test match cricket. He was a leg spinner who made his debut for India in 1947 at the age of 39 and his debut Test match was the only Test match that he played for India.
Elahi later moved to Pakistan and played five Test matches for Pakistan as well.
#4 Keki Tarapore:
Keki Tarapore was another player whose Test career was limited to just a solitary Test match. He made his Test debut for India at 37 years of age against West Indies in 1948 in Delhi and remained wicketless in the 19 overs that he bowled in the game.
Tarapore, although he had a very decent first-class record, never played another Test match for India again.
#5 Shute Banerjee:
Shute Banerjee, who was a medium pace bowler, also played just one Test match for India at 37 years of age against West Indies in Mumbai in 1949.
However, in that very Test match, Banerjee showcased his potential with the ball as he finished with a total of 5 wickets in two innings with the best bowling figures of 4 for 54.
