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Mumbai Ranji Trophy great Padmakar Shivalkar dies aged 84

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Padmakar Shivalkar, a renowned left-arm spinner and one of India’s greatest cricketers to never play for the national team, passed away at 84 in Mumbai. He is survived by his family. Often compared to fellow left-arm spinner Rajinder Goel, they both faced the misfortune of overlapping with Bishan Bedi’s career. Shivalkar had a stellar domestic career, contributing to Mumbai’s dominance in the Ranji Trophy by taking 589 wickets in 124 matches, including a remarkable 8 for 16 in the 1972-73 final. His impressive spin bowling was marked by his ability to induce stumpings, showcasing his mastery of flight and loop.

Padmakar Shivalkar, the legendary left-arm spinner regarded as one of the finest Indian cricketers who never represented the national team, has passed away at the age of 84. He died in Mumbai on Monday and is survived by his wife, son, and daughter.
Shivalkar is frequently associated with Haryana’s left-arm spinner Rajinder Goel, the leading wicket-taker in Ranji Trophy history, as both faced the unfortunate timing of their careers overlapping with that of Bishan Bedi.
“One of my regrets is that, as the then captain of the Indian team, I couldn’t persuade my fellow selectors to choose Goel Saab and Paddy for the national side,” Sunil Gavaskar remarked to The Hindu when the BCCI honored Goel and Shivalkar with the CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement award in 2017. “They played during the same era as the greatest left-arm bowler I have seen, Mr. Bishan Singh Bedi. Otherwise, they too would have had ample opportunities to play Tests for India.”

Gavaskar shared a dressing room with Shivalkar when the Bombay (now Mumbai) team, the most successful in Ranji Trophy history, was at the height of its dominance. Shivalkar participated in 10 of Bombay’s triumphant Ranji Trophy campaigns from 1965-66 to 1976-77—winning the title every season except one during that time—and was part of the squad that reclaimed the championship in 1980-81. Remarkably, he made a comeback seven years later at age 47 and played two matches in the 1987-88 season.

His first-class debut took place in April 1962, when he was selected for a Cricket Club of India President’s XI against an International XI on a world tour. In this match, which featured notable players like Bob Simpson, Tom Graveney, Colin Cowdrey, Everton Weekes, Richie Benaud, and Sonny Ramadhin, Shivalkar recorded figures of 5 for 129 and 2 for 44 in a drawn match.

Overall, Shivalkar claimed 589 wickets in 124 first-class matches, with an impressive average of 19.69. Of those wickets, 361 were taken in the Ranji Trophy, making him the highest wicket-taker for Mumbai in the competition. His best bowling figures of 8 for 16 occurred during the 1972-73 final against Tamil Nadu, where Bombay triumphed in just two days and one ball on a challenging Chepauk pitch.
Another distinguished spinner from the 1970s who never played for India, V Ramnarayan, closely observed both Goel and Shivalkar and wrote the following about them:

“Perhaps their greatest cricketing attribute was their absolute reliability. With them in the team, captains only had to concern themselves with the supporting bowlers.

“Both were tireless, with their smooth bowling actions seemingly requiring minimal effort. However, it was their tireless practice in the nets that enabled their effortless performances in matches.

“If a comparison must be made, it would be to note that there was scarcely any differentiation between them, except that with his flight and subtle variations, Shivalkar presented a more captivating option on good pitches, while Goel was possibly more destructive on deteriorating surfaces.”

Shivalkar’s preferred way of dismissing batsmen perhaps reflects his bowling style. “I relished getting batsmen stumped,” he shared with The Cricket Monthly in 2017. “With my control over the loop, batsmen would advance out of their crease and get trapped, beaten, and stumped.”

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