Cricket is one of the world’s most widely loved and watched sports. It has seen numerous players make a name for themselves and begin their careers playing matches worldwide! There have been hundreds of players in the history of cricket, and in this article, we will look at the oldest cricket players still alive today!
Let’s get started.
The 9 Oldest Cricket Players Still Alive
9. Chandrakant Patankar
Age: 92
Date of birth: 2 January 1956
Nationality: Indian
Country: India
Photo Source: Mid Day
Chandrakant Patankar is a retired cricket player who played in a Test match back in 1955. His career as a cricket player began in 1950, when he began playing first-class cricket for Bombay. He played first-class cricket until 1966, after which he played cricket for the state of Maharashtra until 1967.
Patankar is a right-handed batsman and a wicket-keeper. He replaced his colleague Naren Tamhane in a Test series match after Tamhane was injured but was eventually replaced when Tamhane recovered.
Did you know?
After his career as a cricket player ended, Chandrakant Patankar went on to work for BEST, Laxmi Vishnu, and Killick Indus.
8. Joe Solomon
Age: 93
Date of birth: 11 May 1965
Nationality: Guyanese
Country: West Indies
Photo Source: The West Indian Online
Joe Solomon is a retired cricket player who played for the West Indies in the early 1950s. His scoring in first-class cricket matches set him up for further success in the mid-1950s when he was chosen to tour India with the team from the West Indies. His skills as a right-handed batter saw him achieve even more success in the Test series; he scored a century in Delhi at the Fifth Test.
Did you know?
Joe Solomon scored hundreds in the first three innings, making him the only player in first-class cricket to ever do so.
7. Jack Alabaster
Age: 93
Date of birth: 11 July 1930
Nationality: New Zealand
Country: New Zealand
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons
Just like the other players mentioned on this list, Jack Alabaster is a retired cricket player. His career began in New Zealand when he started playing for the Southland cricket team. However, he wasn’t encouraged to play cricket by the people in his hometown, though the cricketer Walter Hadlee noticed that he showed a lot of potential as a player.
Alabaster was selected to play cricket for New Zealand when Hadlee was on the selection committee, and he toured India and Pakistan in the mid-1950s.
Did you know?
Before his career as a cricket player began, Jack Alabaster worked as a teacher at a primary school. He also taught high school mathematics and science and eventually became the principal of a high school in 1975.
6. Ian Leggat
Age: 93
Date of birth: 7 June 1930
Nationality: New Zealand
Country: New Zealand
Photo Source: linkedin
Ian Leggat played cricket and rugby in school, then started his cricket career playing first-class cricket in the early 1950s for the New Zealand team Central Districts. He was chosen for the South African tour of 1953-1954, and was the tour’s surprise selection.
During that tour, he scored 138 runs and 5 wickets!
Did you know?
Ian Leggat is the only surviving member of the first-class Central Districts team from 1950.
5. C. D. Gopinath
Age: 93
Date of birth: 1 March 1930
Nationality: Indian
Country: India
Photo Source: Madrasmusings
Coimbatarao Doraikannu “C.D.” Gopinath was known for being a right-handed batsman. Though he saw success in the early stages of his career, he failed when touring England in 1952.
He played some Test matches against Pakistan and Australia when he returned home in the mid-1950s and even toured Pakistan. However, when he was offered the chance to join the West Indies team, he rejected the invitation.
Did you know?
D. Gopinath is the last surviving member of India’s winning Test team.
4. Wazir Mohammad
Age: 93
Date of birth: 22 December 1929
Nationality: Pakistani
Country: Pakistan
Photo Source: Thenews
Wazir Mohammad was known for his strong defense as a batsman. As a player, his highest score during a Test match was 189 in a match against the West Indies in 1957. During this match, he batted for over six hours. His skills as a player paid off and helped lay a strong foundation for Pakistan’s victory.
As his career progressed, Mohammad became the top scorer for Pakistan. He even went on to become the captain of the Karachi Whites and the Pakistan Eaglets, a team that consisted of young players.
Did you know?
After his career as a cricket player ended, Wazir Mohammad became a banker and worked with the National Bank of Pakistan.
3. Trevor McMahon
Age: 93
Date of birth: 8 November 1929
Nationality: New Zealand
Country: New Zealand
Photo Source: Rymanhealthcare
Trevor McMahon is best known for being the former wicketkeeper for the New Zealand national cricket team in the mid-1950s. He debuted as a first-class player in Wellington as a temporary replacement for Frank Mooney.
After Mooney retired, McMahon returned to the Wellington team and was later chosen to tour India and Pakistan in the mid-1950s.
Did you know?
Trevor McMahon made 23 dismissals in the 1960-61 season and set a record for the Plunket Shield team.
2. Datta Gaekwad
Age: 94
Date of birth: 27 October 1928
Nationality: Indian
Country: India
Photo Source: Time of India
Dattajirao Krishnarao Gaekwad had a prolific career as a cricket player, which included being captain of the Indian cricket team. He started his cricket career playing in college. He debuted in a test match in England in 1952, in Leeds. Even though he had never done it before, Gaekwad opened the innings.
From 1957 to 1958, he was the captain of the Baroda team and led them to a victory, which won the team the Ranji Trophy for the first time in nine years.
Did you know?
Datta Gaekwad is Anshuman Gaekwad’s father; Anshuman is also a former cricket player.
Also check out our article on the Oldest Living Football Players in USA.
1. Ronald Draper
Age: 96
Date of birth: 24 December 1926
Nationality: South African
Country: Oudtshoorn, Cape Province
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons
Ronald Draper is the oldest living cricket player in the world. He started his career when he was only 19 years old! In his first debut match as a first-class player, he scored a century and earned the match’s top score.
In the latter years of his career, Draper played as both a wicketkeeper and a batsman. He has played for teams like the Eastern Province and Griqualand West.
Did you know?
After cricket player John Watkins passed away in 2021, Draper became the oldest surviving cricket player in the world.
Conclusion
In this article, we took a closer look at nine of the world’s oldest surviving cricket players. Though most of them did not have long careers in the sport, they were all known for their strong cricket skills in Test matches, and each brought glory to their country in different ways. Though these men are all retired today, their years as cricket players are fondly remembered.
