Agencies 
  
Mumbai, Nov 8: Former Indian cricket captain Polly Umrigar died here on Tuesday. He was ailing from cancer for almost a year and died at 8.30 pm at his residence.

He was 80. He was born on March 28, 1926 in Sholapur. He is survived by wife, two sons and a daughter.

A six-footer and powerfully built, Polly Umrigar was a veritable giant in Indian cricket both for his physical attributes and his achievements in the field.

Beginning his Test career against the West Indies at Bombay in 1948-49, Polly Umrigar played 59 matches and scored 3631 runs including 12 centuries and 14 half centuries for an average of 42.22.

Polly Umrigar was omitted from the original eleven to play against England at Chepauk in February 1952 but was reinstated on the morning of the match following an injury to Hemu Adhikari. Umrigar seized the opportunity to score the first of his 12 Test hundreds for India.

An accurate off-spinner, Polly changed to medium pace while opening the bowling for India.

He was the first Indian to hit a Test double century.

Polly Umrigar was the first Indian run machine before the arrival of Sunil Gavaskar in the scene.

When he decided to call it quits, after a career spanning 14 years, Polly was in possession of all Indian batting records — most Tests, most runs, most hundreds. A shrewd captain, he led India in eight Tests with a tally of two wins, two losses and four matches drawn.

He is only one of two Indian cricketers (Vinoo Mankad being the other) to score a century and take five wickets in an innings-  a feat he achieved against West Indies at Port of Spain in 1962.

Umrigar all-time great cricketer: Pawar

Zee news 
 
Mumbai: BCCI president Sharad Pawar described former Indian cricket captain Polly Umrigar, who died here on Tuesday, as an all-time player and announced the institution of a trophy and a Rs five lakh award in his memory.

Umrigar was "not only one of the all-time great cricketers of our time but did much more to the game in various capacities even after his playing days were over", Pawar said in a condolence message.

"His contribution to the growth of cricket in the country in general and Mumbai in particular will always be recalled," Pawar said.

"The board already has the under-15 tournament named after him but we would like to institute a trophy to be awarded to the most promising cricketer of the year from this season on and the recipient will get a cheque of Rs 5 lakh", he said.

"As a national selector, manager of Indian team he had been hailed as a fair man with an incisive mind. He would figure in everyone's all-time India team," Pawar said.

Umrigar's greatest contribution to Indian cricket came as an administrator when he steered the board of control for cricket in India as its executive secretary at a most crucial juncture, Pawar said.

"An unassuming gentleman, he had been a regular at every major cricket game or function in Mumbai", the BCCI chief said adding "Umrigar would be a great inspiration to coming generations of cricketers in the country just as all of us admired him while he as playing".