Former Indian cricketer Salim Durrani breathed his last on Sunday morning at the age of 88. The all-rounder played a pivotal role in several memorable victories for the Indian cricket team in the 1960s and 1970s. According to PTI, he lived with his brother Jahangir Durani in Jamnagar, Gujarat. Durani had broken his thigh bone when he fell in January of this year and had to undergo proximal femoral nail surgery after that.
Blessed with good looks and an alluring personality, Durrani was a darling of the masses and one of the first Indian cricketers to endorse merchandise. Soon this extended to movie deals. In 1969 he made his film debut with Ek Masoom alongside Tanuja. Khalid Akhtar’s film also starred Jagdeep, Abhi Bhattacharya, Prem Chopra and Helen. In 1973, as he was ending his international cricket career, he returned to the big screen for his second and final performance. He was also seen alongside Parveen Babi in the movie ‘Charitra’.
Salim Durani was known for his aggressive batting and his left-arm spin bowling paved the way for many Indian victories. He played a crucial role in India’s first Test victory in the West Indies in 1971, where Durani delivered a memorable spell that dismissed the likes of Clive Lloyd and Garry Sobers in just a few deliveries. India won the Port of Spain Test by seven wickets to create history and Durani had conceded just 21 runs in 17 overs he bowled.
Durrani continued to play for the Ranji Trophy for four more seasons when he retired at the age of 43. After his playing career, Durrani retired from the game. He was awarded the CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award by the BCCI in 2011. He was also India’s first Arjuna Award-winning cricketer.
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