India’s oldest Test cricketer C.D. Gopinath dies at 96

Indian cricket bid farewell to one of its oldest living memories on Thursday as C.D. Gopinath, the country’s oldest Test cricketer and a member of India’s early cricketing generation, passed away in Chennai at the age of 96 . His death marks the end of a living connection to one of the most historic moments in Indian cricket, the nation’s first-ever Test victory against England in 1952 .

Gopinath, who played eight Test matches for India between 1951 and 1952 , was widely admired for his elegant batting and gentlemanly conduct both on and off the field. At the time of his passing, he was the second oldest living Test cricketer in the world , behind Australia’s Neil Harvey (97). He is survived by his wife, children and grandchildren.

Born in an era when Indian cricket was still establishing its identity internationally, Gopinath made a promising start to his Test career. In the 1951 series against England at Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium , he impressed with scores of 50 and 42 , displaying confident stroke play. However, a modest tour of England the following year limited his opportunities at the international level.

Though his Test record stood at 242 runs with one half century , Gopinath enjoyed a far more distinguished career in domestic cricket. Representing Madras (now Tamil Nadu) , he scored 4,259 runs in 83 first class matches at an impressive average of 42 , including nine centuries , and often captained the side.

One of the highlights of his career was a brilliant 175 for South Zone against New Zealand , an innings that earned admiration from leading Kiwi players such as Bert Sutcliffe and John Reid.

After retiring from cricket, Gopinath continued to serve the game. He later became chairman of the national selection committee and also managed the Indian team during the 1979 tour of England , remembered for Sunil Gavaskar’s remarkable 221 at The Oval.

A passionate follower of modern cricket, he remained an admirer of MS Dhoni and the Chennai Super Kings even in his later years. With his passing, Indian cricket loses not just a former player, but a gentleman who bridged generations of the game.