Laxmidas Purshottamdas Jai, a well known Indian cricketer of British times was born on 1st April 1902 in Bombay (Mumbai). He was the major figure in Indian cricket between the wars. During the rule of British Government in India, Laxmidas Purshottamdas Jai was famous for his right hand stroke player. Laxmidas Purshottamdas Jai played with the major regional teams Hindus and Mumbai Cricket Team.
Laxmidas Purshottamdas Jai was a graceful right-handed stroke-player. Most of his finer innings came in the Bombay Quadrangular competition during British Times. He captained Bombay Cricket team (Mumbai) to the title in the first ever Ranji Trophy championship in India.
Laxmidas Purshottamdas Jai was selected to tour England with the Indian team in 1932 but, along with Vijay Merchant and Champak Mehta. But he refused to join in the 1932 Ranji Trophy on political grounds. The only test was the first ever in India. Later, Laxmidas Purshottamdas Jai toured England in 1936 but a broken finger restricted his appearances.
Laxmidas Purshottamdas Jai was a selector in the 1950s, before resigning over a dispute during the 1958 to 1959 series against West Indies in the international cricket match. The trophy awarded to the scorer of the fastest hundred in Ranji trophy every season was named after him.
Batting and fielding averages
|
Mat |
Inns |
NO |
Runs |
HS |
Avg |
100 |
50 |
6s |
Ct |
St |
| Tests |
1 |
2 |
0 |
19 |
19 |
9.5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| First-class |
67 |
108 |
7 |
3231 |
156 |
32 |
6 |
19 |
|
26 |
0 |
Bowling averages
|
Mat |
Inns |
Balls |
Runs |
Wickets |
BBI |
BBM |
Ave |
Econ |
SR |
4w |
5w |
10 |
| Tests |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| First-class |
67 |
|
210 |
134 |
3 |
6-Jan |
|
45 |
4 |
70 |
|
0 |
0 |
After having his retirement from cricket, Laxmidas Purshottamdas Jai was employed to the Imperial Bank of India of
British Government, later State Bank of India, after the Independence of India. Out of this Laxmidas Purshottamdas Jai had a hobby of stamp collecting or philately. Laxmidas Purshottamdas Jai became an eminent philatelist, being in a position to "rescue" every stamped envelope that came to the bank every day. He was specialised in collecting the stamps of British Empire.
Laxmidas Purshottamdas Jai died on January 29, 1968, in Bombay (Mumbai),
Maharashtra at the age of 65.
