Vasant Raiji

Vasant Naisadrai Raiji (born 26 January 1920 in Baroda) is a former first-class cricketer and cricket historian.

Life and career
Raiji opened the batting for Bombay and Baroda in the Ranji Trophy, and was a reserve for the Hindus team in the 1941 Bombay Pentangular. His two highest scores came in Baroda's victory over Maharashtra in 1944-45, when he made 68 and 53.

At the end of his playing career, he turned to writing, and is the author of several works on early Indian cricket. He is an accountant by profession and has authored two books on the subject.

On the death of B. K. Garudachar in February 2016 he became India's oldest first-class cricketer. He lives in the Walkeshwar area of South Mumbai. 

His younger brother Madan was also a Bombay cricketer.

He celebrated his 100th birthday in 2020, attended by Steve Waugh and Sachin Tendulkar.

Books
 Ranji: The Legend and the Man (1963)
 Duleep: The Man and His Game (co-edited; 1963)
 Victor Trumper: The Beau Ideal of a Cricketer (edited; 1964)
 Ranji: A Centenary Album (edited; 1972) 
 L. P. Jai: Memories of a Great Batsman (edited; 1976)
 The Romance of the Ranji Trophy (1984)
 India's Hambledon Men (1986)
 CCI and the Brabourne Stadium, 1937-1987 (with Anandji Dossa; 1987)
 C. K. Nayudu: The Shahenshah of Indian Cricket (1989)
 Duleep: A Centenary Tribute (edited; 2005)
 From Presidency to Pentangular (with Mohandas Menon; 2006)
 Cricket Memories: Men and Matches of Bygone Days (2010)

References

External links
 
 Vasant Raiji CricketArchive page
 

Category:Cricket historians and writers
Category:1920 births
Category:Living people
Category:Baroda cricketers
Category:Mumbai cricketers
Category:Indian cricketers
Category:Indian centenarians