Chetan Chauhan, Former Cricketer And Minister in Yogi’s Cabinet, Dies of COVID-19

Chetan Pratap Singh Chauhan, known as Chetan Chauhan in the cricket world, died due to COVID-19 complications today at the age of 73.  He was shifted from Sanjay Gandhi Hospital, Lucknow to the Medanta hospital, Gurugram earlier this week after his health deteriorated.

Chauhan represented India in 40 Tests and will always be remembered for forging successful opening partnerships with the great Sunil Gavaskar. Though Chauhan is remembered as a Delhi stalwart, he took his initial steps in the game in Maharashtra. Having lived in Pune as a youngster, he went on to play for West Zone Universities and then for Maharashtra in the Ranji Trophy.

After retiring from competitive cricket in 1985, he then moved into politics, joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He has been elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) twice from Almorah in Uttar Pradesh. Currently he was serving as Cabinet Minister in Yogi Adityanath’s government in Uttar Pradesh.

Some interesting facts about Chetan Chauhan:

Playing for an India XI against International XI

In 1968, Micky Stewart led an International XI to India which comprised the likes of Dennis Amiss, Roger Tolchard, Khalid Ibadulla and Tony Greig, to name a few. Chauhan played in a game against them representing India XI. He scored a duck and 31, opening the batting with Budhi Kunderan in both innings.

Most Test runs scored without a ton for a top order player

Chauhan was an opening batsman and played 40 Tests, and scored 2084 runs with a best of 97. Chauhan had scored 16 fifties, out of which there were two 90s and five 80s. In the list of most runs without a Test hundred, Chauhan is only second to Warne. Shane Warne leads the list of players of who have scored the most Test runs without scoring a century. He scored 3154 runs in 145 Tests with a best of 99. However, Warne was a bowler and usually batted down the order.

A four and a six to begin his Test career

In 1969, Chauhan made his Test debut against New Zealand at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai. Statistician Bharath Seervi notes that Chauhan took as many as 25 minutes to get off the mark in Test cricket. His first scoring shot was a four through the off-side and he then hooked one later for a maximum off Bruce Taylor. Thus, Chauhan s first two scoring shots in Test cricket were boundaries.

Prolific partnership with Sunil Gavaskar

Chauhan went on to become an ideal foil for Sunil Gavaskar at the top as they amassed 3127 runs at an average of 54.85 in 60 innings in tandem. They had 11 century stands in total, of which 10 were for the opening wicket. Their best opening stand of 213 came at The Oval Test of 1979, where Gavaskar s double nearly inspired India to an unlikely victory while chasing a huge score. Chauhan s career ended in 1981. At that point of time, the Gavaskar-Chauhan tandem were the third most successful pair in Test match history, behind Bill Lawry-Bob Simpson (586 runs ahead) and Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe (239 ahead).

Shocked with the abrupt end to his Test career

Chauhan s last Test came on the tour to New Zealand in 1980-81. Speaking to The Hindu, Chauhan said, “I don’t know why they did that to me. It was not loss of form because at the end of that tour of Australia and New Zealand I had outscored almost every other Indian batsman, except Sandeep Patil. I had an average of 41.50 but was dropped for the next series against England. That really shocked me.”