Five greatest international cricketers from West Bengal

Pankaj Roy

Pankaj Roy played 43 Tests

Pankaj Roy was the first cricketer from West Bengal who made it big on the international stage. A right-handed batsman, he is best remembered for his world-record opening stand of 413 runs with his partner Vinoo Mankad in a Test against New Zealand in Chennai in 1954-55. The record stood for 54 years before it was toppled by South African openers, Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie, in 2008.

Roy made a hundred in his first-class debut for Bengal at the age of 19 in 1946-47. This brought him on the radar of national selectors and he was handed over an Indian Test cap during the 1951-52 home series against England. He started his Test career promisingly with a couple of centuries in that series. He failed to repeat his heroics when India toured England the following year, but he came back well with a string of good scores against the West Indies at home and New Zealand abroad.

In total, the bespectacled opener played 43 Tests, aggregating 2442 runs at 32.56 with the help of five centuries and nine fifties. He had a watertight technique and could bat for hours on end without losing concentration. His son, Pranab Roy, also played two Tests for India.