2405:204:3220:3DD2:5E69:75D3:ECB:CC56 at 03:55, 23 June 2021

2021-06-23T03:55:15Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2013}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = A.G. Kripal Singh
| image = File:AG Kripal Singh.jpg
| image_size = 220px
| caption =
| fullname = Amritsar Govindsingh Kripal Singh
| birth_date = 6 August 1933
| birth_place = [[Chennai|Madras]], [[Madras State]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1987|7|22|1933|8|6}}
| death_place = [[Chennai]], [[Tamil Nadu]], India
| family = [[A. G. Ram Singh]] (father)<br>[[A. G. Milkha Singh]] (brother)
| batting = Right-handed
| bowling = Right-arm off-break
| columns = 2
| column1 = [[Test cricket|Tests]]
| matches1 = 14
| runs1 = 422
| bat avg1 = 28.13
| 100s/50s1 = 1/2
| top score1 = 100*
| deliveries1 = 1,518
| wickets1 = 10
| bowl avg1 = 58.40
| fivefor1 = -
| tenfor1 = -
| best bowling1 = 3/43
| catches/stumpings1= 4
| column2 = [[First-class cricket|First-class]]
| matches2 = 96
| runs2 = 4,939
| bat avg2 = 40.81
| 100s/50s2 = 10/24
| top score2 = 208
| deliveries2 = 13,183
| wickets2 = 177
| bowl avg2 = 28.41
| fivefor2 = 3
| tenfor2 = 1
| best bowling2 = 6/14
| catches/stumpings2= 57
| international = true
| country = India
| testdebutfor =
| testdebutagainst =
| testdebutdate = 19 November
| testdebutyear = 1955
| lasttestdate = 27 October
| lasttestfor =
| lasttestagainst =
| lasttestyear = 1964
| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/player/30132.html Cricinfo
| date = 23 March 2018
}}
'''Amritsar Govindsingh Kripal Singh''' {{audio|A. G. Kripal Singh.ogg|pronunciation}} (6 August 1933 – 22 July 1987) was an [[Indian cricket team|Indian]] [[Test cricket]]er.

==Life and career==
Kripal Singh came from a famous cricketing family. His father [[A. G. Ram Singh]] was unlucky not to play for India, his brother [[A. G. Milkha Singh|Milkha Singh]] was a Test cricketer, and another brother, two sons and a nephew all played [[first-class cricket]]. He was an attacking batsman and a useful off spin bowler.

He played a leading role in [[Tamil Nadu cricket team|Madras]] winning the [[Ranji Trophy]] in 1954–55, scoring 636 runs and taking 13 wickets. In the semi-final against [[Bengal cricket team|Bengal]] he hit 98 and 97 – the second innings runs came out of a total of 139 all out in which no one else reached double figures – and took 4 for 18 in the second innings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Madras v Bengal 1954-55|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/21/21450.html|website=CricketArchive|accessdate=23 March 2018}}</ref> Kripal had university exams at the time of the final and was granted a postponement by the university. In the final against [[Holkar cricket team|Holkar]] he scored 75 and 91 and seven wickets in a narrow victory. Earlier in the season he scored his career best score of 208 against [[Travancore-Cochin cricket team|Travancore-Cochin]].

Picked for the Test series against [[New Zealand cricket team|New Zealand]] in the following season, he scored 100* on his debut. That was to remain his only Test hundred. He scored two other fifties, one a defiant 53 against [[West Indian cricket team|West Indies]] in 1958–59.

Kripal toured England in 1959. He hit 178 against Lancashire and played in one Test where he scored 41. A finger injury severely limited his appearances. Though he remained within the sight of the selectors, his Test appearances were irregular thereafter. He played three Tests in 1961-62 and two in 1963–64, all against [[English cricket team|England]]. It was in the Third Test in 1961-62 that he took his first wicket in Test cricket. He had bowled 588 balls in nine innings and ten Tests prior to this, and no bowler has taken as many balls for his first wicket. In the same Test, he was involved in a scandal that ended the career of [[Subhash Gupte]].

In one of the Test matches in 1963-64 when many English players went down with injury and illness, Kripal fielded for them almost as a permanent substitute. Towards the end of his career Kripal became more of a bowler. He captained Tamil Nadu, and South Zone in the first ever [[Duleep Trophy]] match.

He was born a Sikh, but between his Test appearances, Kripal fell in love with a [[Christians|Christian]] girl and converted to marry her and shaved off his beard and had hair cut. But yet he practised both religions.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20061010113812/http://www.hindu.com/mag/2006/09/24/stories/2006092400190300.htm ]</ref> That makes him probably the first Test cricketer to represent two religions.{{cn|date=February 2017}}

Kripal died from a cardiac arrest at the age of 53. He was a national selector at the time of his death.{{cn|date=February 2017}}

==Notes==
* According to [http://www.sportstats.com.au/bloghome.html Charles Davis], Kripal bowled 651 balls and conceded 235 runs before taking his first wicket.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
* [[V. Ramnarayan]], ''Mosquitos and other Jolly Rovers''
* [[Mihir Bose]], ''A History of Indian Cricket''
* [[Christopher Martin-Jenkins]], ''A Complete Who's Who of Test Cricketers''

==External links==
* {{cricinfo|id=30132}}
* {{cricketarchive|id=1030}}
* [http://madrasmusings.com/Vol%2023%20No%209/the-nineth-in-a-series.html "A most cerebral cricketer"] by [[V Ramnarayan]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kripal Singh}}
[[Category:Indian cricketers]]
[[Category:India Test cricketers]]
[[Category:Cricketers who made a century on Test debut]]
[[Category:Tamil Nadu cricketers]]
[[Category:Hyderabad cricketers]]
[[Category:Indian Universities cricketers]]
[[Category:South Zone cricketers]]
[[Category:Indian Christians]]
[[Category:Converts to Christianity]]
[[Category:1933 births]]
[[Category:1987 deaths]]
[[Category:Loyola College, Chennai alumni]]
[[Category:Cricketers from Chennai]]

A. G. Kripal Singh - Revision history

2405:204:3220:3DD2:5E69:75D3:ECB:CC56 at 03:55, 23 June 2021