Flashback: The only Indian player to bat at every position from 1 to 11

It has been almost nine decades since the Indian side started playing Test cricket. There have been 302 players who have represented the Indian team in the longest format of the game. But then, there has been just one Indian cricketer who has batted in each and every batting position.

Vinoo Mankad is the only Indian cricketer to have batted in every position from No.1 to No.11. Let us delve a little deep into the career of Vinoo Mankad. The right-handed batsman represented the Indian team in 44 Test matches and scored 2109 runs at an average of 31.48. In his Test career that lasted a little more than a decade, Mankad scored 5 centuries and 2 double centuries.

Cricketers Who Have Batted at All Positions in Test Cricket –

?? Syd Gregory
?? Wilfred Rhodes
?? Vinoo Mankad #OnThisDay in 1917 Vinoo Mankad was born. pic.twitter.com/UhhXoeLKws

— Chinmay ???? (@rit_111_) April 12, 2021

Mankad had his most fruitful run opening the batting for India. Out of the 72 Test innings that he played, Mankad played 40 of them as an opener. Also, 1548 out of his 2109 Test runs have come opening the batting. Mankad also averaged 40.74 as an opener, as opposed to his career Test average of 31.48. And, all his 5 centuries in Test match cricket came when he opened the batting for the Indian side.

There were two batting positions where Mankad did not even score a single run. He batted one innings each, at No.10 and No.11, and could not manage to score a run.

Mankad loved playing against New Zealand. In the 5 innings that he played against the Black Caps, the right-handed batsman scored 526 runs and scored his runs at an average of 105.20. On the other hand, one team that troubled Mankad the most was the West Indies. In the 22 innings that Mankad played against the West Indies side, he could muster just 397 runs at a poor average of 19.85.

Mankad retired from the game in the year 1959. He played his last Test match against West Indies and was dismissed for a duck in his final appearance for India in Test match cricket.