Commandur Rajagopalachari Rangachari better known as C.R. Rangachari, an Indian Cricketer of British colonial rule, was born on 14th April 1916, in Mammandur District. He was a fast bowler who represented India in Test cricket in colonial times. He played the domestic matches for Madras Cricket Team. His first class national and international cricket career spanned from 1938 to 1954.
C.R. Rangachari was a medium pace bowler who bowled with a slight round-arm action and moved the ball away from the batsman.
C.R. Rangachari was a student of the Pachaiyappa`s College in Madras. When the Madras cricket league was started in 1932, C.R. Rangachari played for Chepauk United Club and then he switched to Triplicane CC, a domestic cricket club in South India. There, C.R. Rangachari formed a fearsome partnership with M.J. Gopalan. Rangachari first claimed the spotlight when he took 9 for 45 against Mysore in an inter-association junior match in 1938. The same year he was selected to the Ranji team.
C.R. Rangachari was also a fine fielder, and fielding usually at silly mid-off, formed a nice combination with the spinner A.G. Ram Singh. He was selected for the tour of Australia in 1947 to 1948. He took a hat-trick in the match against Tasmania. On his debut at Adelaide he took 4 for 141, dismissing Neil Harvey, Keith Miller, Ray Lindwall and Ian Johnson. His career best bowling was 5 for 107 against West Indies at Delhi.
C.R. Rangachari played unofficial Tests against Australian Services Team in 1945/46 and against the first Commonwealth team in 1949/50, and two M. J. Gopalan Trophy matches.
C.R. Rangachari captained Madras in two matches in 1952 to 1953. He managed several Tamil Nadu-Madras and South Zone teams and was a state selector. He took 104 wickets for Madras in Ranji Trophy. His son C. R. Vijayaraghavan has umpired in One Day Internationals and first class cricket and as a third umpire in Test matches.
C.R. Rangachari, later, after retiring from Indian Cricket, worked in the police department and retired as the Deputy Superintendent. He died from a cardiac failure on October 9, 1993 at Madras (now called Chennai) in Tamil Nadu.
