Chennai, April 14 (IANS) Players from Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings honoured former India cricketer C. D. Gopinath by wearing black armbands during their Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday. This gesture expressed respect after Gopinath’s passing last week at the age of 96.

Gopinath was the oldest Test cricketer in the country and the second-oldest in the world, after Neil Harvey.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also paid tribute to Gopinath in an official statement, calling his death a significant loss to Indian cricket. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia stated, “Mr. C.D. Gopinath belonged to a generation that helped shape Indian cricket in its formative years. Being part of India’s first Test victory is a distinction that will always be remembered.”

Gopinath played an important role in the early years of Indian cricket. He was part of the team that achieved India’s first Test victory against England in 1952 in Madras, now Chennai. This was a landmark moment in the country’s cricket history. Gopinath played in eight Test matches for India between 1951 and 1960, making an immediate impact with scores of 50 not out and 42 in his debut.

In addition to his international career, Gopinath was a key figure in Tamil Nadu cricket. He captained the team and helped them win their first Ranji Trophy in the 1954–55 season, scoring a century in the final. Throughout his first-class career, he scored 4,259 runs in 60 matches.

His contributions to the game continued well after he stopped playing. Gopinath served as a national selector, including a period as chairman, and later managed the Indian team during the 1979 tour of England, staying connected to the sport for decades.

After his passing, Chandrakant Patankar, who played in a single Test match in 1956, became India’s oldest living Test cricketer.

Earlier, KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and chose to bowl.

KKR had a good start in the Power-play as they quickly removed CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, but his partner continued his rich form from the previous match.

Samson and young batter Ayush Mhatre helped CSK recharge 72/1 in the mandatory powerplay.

–IANS

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