Asheem Mukerji
Lucknow: Though names like Suresh Raina, RP Singh Jr and RP Singh Sr are closely associated with cricket in Lucknow, only one player who was born and brought up in the city represented India in a Test match. His name is Apoorva Sengupta, who played against the Frank Worell led West Indies on January 21-26, 1959 in Madras.
Both Raina and RPS Jr found their way into the India team after playing competitive cricket in Lucknow. Both of them were products of the Lucknow Sports College and then fine tuned their games at the Sports Hostel in the city. But, both were not born in Lucknow and played their formative cricket elsewhere. Raina came for Muradnagar, while RPS Jr got initiated into the game at Rae Bareli. RP Singh Sr, though born in Lucknow, played just two ODIs when the Australians, led by Allan Border, visited India in 1986-87. Hence, Sengupta is the only cricketer to be born in the City of Nawabs to play Test cricket.
Born in the then prominently Bengali locality of Risaldar Park on August 3, 1938, Apoorva Sengupta played local cricket for Wanderers Club. According to the famous British journalist Christopher Martin Jenkins, Sengupta was a “very good all-rounder – a right handed opening batter, a leg-break googly bowler and a safe slip fielder.”
Selected for the National Defence Academy (NDA), Sengupta, popularly known as ‘Appu’ represented the Services in Ranji Trophy during and after completing his military training at Khadakvasla.
Making his First Class debut against the West Indies for Services against the West Indies, scoring 35 and 100 not out as an opener. That innings pitch-forked him into the India side against fearsome fast bowlers like Wes Hall and Roy Gilchrist. With Nari Contractor not well, he was asked to open the innings along with Pankaj Roy – the only time when two Bengali cricketers came out as openers for the India team.
Sengupta fell to a bouncer from Hall, caught by Gary Sobers in the slips for one run in the first innings. His stay lasted a little longer in the second knock after Contractor recovered and opened the innings along with Pankaj Roy. Coming to bat at No. 4, Sengupta played a delectable late cut before edging Gilchrist behind the wicket to Gerry Alexander for eight runs.
There was no second chance for Sengupta. His international career came to an abrupt end after failing in the only Test he played. His First Class career lasted for a decade as he played 45 matches from 1958/59 to 1967/68. In his debut Ranji Trophy game he took 6/32 against a strong Delhi side with his leg-break bowling. Sengupta finally retired after scoring 1695 runs at 26.48 with two centuries and eight 50s. With the ball, he claimed 21 wickets at 31.14 per wicket.
His playing career could have lasted more, but his military services became a priority before the 1971 war against Pakistan. He was awarded PVSM and AVSM and rose to the rank of Lieutenant General. He also served as the defense attaché in the USA and Canada, based in Washington DC.
After retiring from the Indian Army, Sengupta settled down in New Delhi, along with his wife Meena and two children Amitabh and Surojit. He passed away in New Delhi on September 14, 2013.
