>Sillyfolkboy at 20:03, 17 September 2019

2019-09-17T20:03:58Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2016}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Yeshwant Sidhaye
| image =
| country = India
| fullname = Yeshwant Prabhakar Sidhaye
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1932|4|10|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Iran
| death_date = {{death date and age|2002|11|24|1932|4|10|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Pune]], [[Maharashtra]], India
| nickname = Baba, Panther
| height =
| batting = Right-handed
| bowling = [[Leg break]] [[googly]]
| role =
| club1 = [[Maharashtra cricket team|Maharashtra]]
| year1 = 1952/53–1966/67
| clubnumber1 =
| club2 = [[Mumbai cricket team|Bombay]]
| year2 = 1954/55
| clubnumber2 =
| club3 = [[Railways cricket team|Railways]]
| year3 = 1961/62–1967/68
| clubnumber3 =
| columns = 1
| column1 = [[First-class cricket|FC]]
| matches1 = 51
| runs1 = 1,862
| bat avg1 = 27.79
| 100s/50s1 = 1/10
| top score1 = 135
| deliveries1 = 772
| wickets1 = 13
| bowl avg1 = 37.61
| fivefor1 = 0
| tenfor1 = 0
| best bowling1 = 2/14
| catches/stumpings1 = 36/–
| date = 20 June 2016
| source = [http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/player/35116.html ESPNcricinfo]
}}

'''Yeshwant Sidhaye''' (10 April 1932 – 24 November 2002), better known as '''Baba Sidhaye''', was an Indian [[first-class cricket|first-class]] [[cricket]]er who played for [[Maharashtra cricket team|Maharashtra]], [[Mumbai cricket team|Bombay]] and [[Railways cricket team|Railways]]. A deaf and mute cricketer, Sidhaye is recognized by the ''[[Limca Book of Records]]'' for his efforts. He is regarded as the "first deaf and mute cricketer to have taken the field"<ref name=doyou/><ref name=unacknowledged/> and one of the best [[fielding (cricket)|fielders]] in India during his playing career.<ref name=unacknowledged/>

==Early life==
Sidhaye was born on 10 April 1932 and hails from a village called Konshi near [[Sawantwadi]] in [[Maharashtra]]. He was deaf and mute by birth. He later moved to [[Pune]] to play cricket.<ref name=inspired>{{cite news|last1=Waingankar|first1=Makarand|title=Was 'Iqbal' inspired by this Baba?|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/india-in-australia/top-stories/Was-Iqbal-inspired-by-this-Baba/articleshow/22105862.cms|work=The Times of India|accessdate=19 June 2016|date=28 August 2013}}</ref>

==Career==
Sidhaye made his first-class debut for Maharashtra at the age of 20 and went on to appear in 51 matches. He played most of his cricket for Maharashtra and Railways, and made a few appearances for Bombay, Indian Universities and West Zone.<ref>{{cite web|title=First-class Batting and Fielding For Each Team by Yeshwant Sidhaye |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/41/41015/f_Batting_by_Team.html|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=19 June 2016}}</ref> His only first-class hundred of 135 runs came while playing for Maharashtra against Baroda at the [[1956–57 Ranji Trophy]] during which he shared a 238-run partnership with captain [[Bapu Nadkarni]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Maharashtra v Baroda in 1956/57 |url-access=subscription |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/22/22322.html|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=19 June 2016}}</ref> Although Sidhaye did not play international cricket, he appeared in first-class matches against the visiting New Zealand, West Indian, Australian and Ceylonese teams during various points of his career.<ref>{{cite web|title=First-Class Matches played by Yeshwant Sidhaye|url=http://f7.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/41/41015/First-Class_Matches.html|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=19 June 2016}}</ref>

Sidhaye also played for the Hindu Gymkhana in the [[Kanga League]] and, in 1972, hit a 59-minute century in a match, which was then a world record.<ref name=dead/><ref name=doyou/>

Sidhaye also coached cricketers after his playing career. He was the coach of the [[Bombay Cricket Association]] and is said to have trained over 50 first-class cricketers.<ref name=doyou/> He spotted [[Balwinder Sandhu]] at a summer coaching camp and trained him, before Sandhu went on to play for India.<ref name=inspired/>

==Playing style==
Sidhaye was as a hard-hitting middle-order batsman and part-time [[leg spin]]ner. He was known as an agile [[fielding (cricket)|fielder]] in the covers and earned the nickname "Panther" due to his swift movement while fielding.<ref name=dead>{{cite news|title=Former Ranji cricketer Sidhaye dead|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/29348576.cms|work=The Times of India|accessdate=19 June 2016|date=25 November 2002}}</ref> [[Bapu Nadkarni]], who was the captain of Sidhaye at Maharashtra and Hindu Gymkhana, recalls, "He was a wonderfully gifted player. Under my captaincy, he scored three centuries, each one being a gem. And what a fielder! He and Ravi Bhadbhade in the covers were simply brilliant. Getting the ball past them was impossible. Baba enjoyed his cricket and didn't bother about anything."<ref name=inspired/>

==Personal life==
Sidhaye and his wife Pramodini Sidhaye<ref name=unacknowledged>{{cite news|last1=Lahiri|first1=Dipankar|title=Baba ‘Panther’ Sidhaye – The unacknowledged inspiration for Iqbal and very first deaf and mute cricketer|url=https://in.news.yahoo.com/baba-panther-sidhaye-unacknowledged-inspiration-063610102.html|accessdate=19 June 2016|work=Yahoo!|date=29 July 2015}}</ref> had a son and two daughters; their son Pravin Sidhaye also played cricket.<ref name=dead/> Baba Sidhaye died on 24 November 2002 after a prolonged illness.

In 2011, Sidhaye was recognized by the ''[[Limca Book of Records]]'' for having "excelled in the field of cricket" despite being "differently-abled".<ref name=doyou>{{cite news|last1=Patra|first1=Sajal K.|title=Do you know Baba Sidhaye - the real 'Iqbal' of Indian cricket who died fighting for recognition?|url=http://www.news18.com/cricketnext/news/do-you-know-baba-sidhaye-the-real-iqbal-of-indian-cricket-who-died-fighting-for-recognition-1045559.html|accessdate=19 June 2016|work=News18|date=29 July 2015}}</ref>

==See also==
* ''[[Iqbal (film)|Iqbal]]'', an Indian film about a deaf and mute boy who aspires to be a cricketer.

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* {{ESPNcricinfo|id=35116}}
* {{CricketArchive|id=41015}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sidhaye, Yeshwant}}
[[Category:1932 births]]
[[Category:2002 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian cricketers]]
[[Category:Maharashtra cricketers]]
[[Category:Mumbai cricketers]]
[[Category:Railways cricketers]]
[[Category:West Zone cricketers]]
[[Category:Indian Universities cricketers]]
[[Category:Deaf cricketers]]
[[Category:Indian cricket coaches]]
[[Category:Deaf people from India]]

Baba Sidhaye - Revision history

>Sillyfolkboy at 20:03, 17 September 2019