Happy Birthday to Roger Binny

Roger Michael Humphrey Binny was born on 19 July 1955 at Bangalore, Karnataka) is a former all-rounder of India, best known for his impressive bowling in the 1983 World Cup where he was the highest wicket-taker by taking 18 wickets. He repeated the success in the 1985 World Series Cricket Championship in Australia where he again took 17 wickets. Also Check Specil Cricket Album: Cricketers with their Wives 

He played 27 tests and 72 ODIs for India. Roger Binny started his international career on his home ground, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore against Pakistan in the first test of 1979 home series. Against bowlers of the calibre of Imran Khan and Sarfaraz Nawaz he performed reasonably well in his debut match scoring 46 runs. He was also a useful swing bowler and one of the better fielders in the Indian team of that time. His Test career was not very impressive, but he and fellow pace bowler Karsan Ghavri were helpful in getting the shine off the new ball before India's famous spin bowlers Bishen Singh Bedi, Chandrashekhar, Prasanna and Ventatraghavan could take over. Binny was also credited with saving many test matches for India. When the top batting order collapsed, Binny could be counted to hold the batting down so as to avoid innings defeats or drag the match to a draw. Binny however came into his own in the 1983 World Cup. The wickets suited his medium-pace, and along with Madan Lal and Kapil Dev he helped India win their first World Cup. 

He was the first Anglo-Indian to play cricket for India. His son Stuart Binny is also following in his footsteps and played state cricket for Karnataka and has also represented India.

In his 27 test matches for India he made 830 runs with an average of 23 and takes 47 wickets with an average of 32.63. In 73 ODIs for India he made 629 runs with an average of 16 and takes 77 wickets.

In September 2012, Binny was appointed as one of the five members of the selection panel of the Indian Cricket team.

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Gufran Naved