C.K.Naidu

Cottari Kanakaiya Nayudu ( pronunciation (help·info) (31 October 1895 – 14 November 1967), also known as 'CK', was a the first captain of the Indian cricket team in Test matches. He played first-class cricket regularly till 1958, and returned for one last time in 1963 at the age of 68. In 1923, the ruler of Holkar invited him to Indore and made him a Captain (land and air) in his army, conferring on him the honour of a Colonel in Holkar's Army.
Arthur Gilligan led the first MCC tour to India in the 1926-27 season. For the Hindus at Bombay Gymkhana, Nayudu hit 153 in 116 minutes with 11 sixes. One of the sixes, off Bob Wyatt, landed on the roof of the Gymkhana. The MCC presented him with a silver bat in recognition of that innings.
India made its debut at Lord's under Col. C K Nayudu. In its first Test tour of England with the Maharaja of Porbandar as captain and Ghanshyamsinhji of Limbdi as vice-captain. Two weeks before the trip, Porbandar dropped out on reasons of health and Limbdi took over. But Limbdi suffered a back injury that ruled him out of the Test and just before the start of India's inaugural Test, Nayudu was appointed captain of the Indian team.

Nayudu took part in all 26 of the first-class matches on the tour, scoring 1,618 runs at an average of 40.45 in the first-class matches and 1,842 overall, and taking 65 wickets. Wisden chose him as a Cricketer of the Year the next year. Nayudu hit 32 sixes, which was the most by anyone in the season. CK's best stint was playing at Edgbaston, where he hit a ball into the River Rhea, and thus, technically, into the next county.

Tall and debonair, often with a kerchief knotted jauntily round his neck, CK was popularly known for his sartorial style on field. CK's close companion, Syed Mushtaq Ali, also known for his fearless and dashing cricket, played with CK in several matches together. Mushtaq Ali fondly called CK 'a tiger on the field'.

In the 1933-34 season, Douglas Jardine visited India with a...