Indian cricket fans were predictably nostalgic when Arjun Tendulkar ran in to bowl for Mumbai Indians, a team his father has been – and is – associated with for a decade and a half in multiple capacities. The Tendulkars became the first father-son pair to play in the Indian Premier League.
Tendulkar Jr has already played for the India Under-19s. Only time will tell whether he will play for the senior Indian side. However, if they do, they will not be the first father-son pair to play for India.
Maharaja and Yuvraj of Patiala
An All-India – that was the official name – side visited England in 1911. There was no Test match, but it was the first representative team of Indians. They were sponsored and led by Bhupinder Singh, then the Maharaja of Patiala, one of the major patrons of Indian cricket.
When England toured India in 1933/34, his son Yadavindra Singh made 24 and 60 in a Test match in Madras. The score sheets had him down as the Yuvraj of Patiala.
Pataudi Sr and Tiger
A year before that, when England toured Australia, they included Iftikhar Ali Khan, the Nawab of Pataudi, in their squad. Pataudi Sr made a hundred on Test debut, but he was left out after a disagreement with captain Douglas Jardine.
In 1946, he led India on a tour of England, and remains the only person to play Test cricket for both England and India. He died five years later – on the 11th birthday of his son Mansur.
Just over a decade later, Mansur – known by his nickname ‘Tiger’ – became the youngest captain in the history of Test cricket (the record has been surpassed since). He continued to lead India throughout the 1960s.
Lala Amarnath and Mohinder Amarnath
Lala Amarnath debuted two matches before the Yuvraj of Patiala played Test cricket – and became the first Indian to score a Test match hundred. His eldest son Surinder emulated Lala by scoring a hundred on Test debut, in 1975/76. They still remain the only father-son pair to do this in Test cricket.
However, Surinder’s younger brother Mohinder had the longest career of them all. He played 69 Test matches and 85 ODIs, which included the 1983 World Cup, where he was named Player of the Match in both the semi-final and the final. Rajinder, the youngest brother, did not play Test cricket.
Vijay Manjrekar and Sanjay Manjrekar
Vijay Manjrekar was India’s finest batter in the 1950s and the early 1960s, while his son Sanjay was a regular feature in the first half of the 1990s. Father and son both scored over 2,000 Test runs and kept wicket when required. Sanjay is also a popular commentator.
Vinoo Mankad and Ashok Mankad
The Second World War delayed Vinoo Mankad’s Test debut to the age of 29, but could not prevent him from becoming the fastest to the 1,000 run-100 wicket double: he reached there in 23 Test matches.
He retired after the 1958/59 season, and remains the only cricketer in the world with two Test match double-centuries and two eight-wicket hauls.
His son Ashok, acknowledged as one of Bombay’s finest captains, played 22 Test matches for India. Ashok’s brothers Atul and Rahul played for Bombay as well.
Pankaj Roy and Pranab Roy
Pankaj Roy opened batting for India throughout the 1950s, and remained the only Indian opening batter with 2,000 Test runs until Sunil Gavaskar. He also led India at Lord’s in 1959.
Pankaj’s nephew Ambar played four Tests in 1969/70, and son Pranab played twice in 1981/82.
Sunil Gavaskar and Rohan Gavaskar
Gavaskar himself was the nephew of former Test cricketer Madhav Mantri. After a career spanning 16 years, he finished with the most runs and hundreds in the history of Test cricket, and needs little introduction. His son Rohan played 11 ODIs for India.
If we extend the definition of family, Sunil’s sister Kavita married Gundappa Viswanath, whom his fans often rate as a batter superior to Gavaskar.
Datta Gaekwad and Anshuman
When Roy led India in 1959, it was because full-time captain Datta Gaekwad was unfit. Gaekwad played 11 times for India, leading them four times. His son Anshuman, one of Sunil Gavaskar’s several opening partners, played twice as many.
Hemant Kanitkar and Hrishikesh
Like Gaekwad, Hemant Kanitkar of Maharashtra opened batting with Gavaskar as well. He played two Test matches, in 1974/75, the same as his son Hrishikesh – though the latter also featured in 34 ODIs.
Kanitkar Jr later became the first to lead Rajasthan to Ranji Trophy success – and repeated the feat the next season. He also coached India Under-19 when they won the World Cup in 2022.
Roger Binny and Stuart
Speaking of Under-19 World Cup triumphs, the first Indian to coach them to that trophy was Roger Binny, who had also been the leading wicket-taker when India won the 1983 World Cup
Binny later became chair of selectors, and is currently the BCCI president. His son Stuart holds the best ODI bowling figures (6-4) for India.
Yograj and Yuvraj Singh
Yograj Singh opened bowling for India in 1980/81, playing a Test match and six ODIs, before finding a successful acting career in Punjabi movies.
As is well known, his son Yuvraj was part of the Indian sides that won the Under-19 World Cup in 2000, the World Twenty20 in 2007 (he hit six sixes in an over), and the World Cup in 2011 (he was named Player of the Tournament).
Special mentions
Brothers Wazir Ali and Nazir Ali played for India in their first ever Test match, as did Jahangir Khan. All three moved to Pakistan.
Wazir’s son Khalid Wazir and Jahangir’s son Majid both played for Pakistan, as did Majid’s son Bazid. Majid led Pakistan, as did his cousins, Javed Burki and, more famously, Imran Khan.
Rudra Pratap Singh opened bowling for India in ODIs 1986/87 (his namesake had a longer career for India in the 21st century). His son Harry has played for England Under-19s.
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