R. B. KENNY

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R. B. KENNY
(29 Sep 1930 – 21 Nov 1985)

The “gracefully elegant, stylish and nimble-footed right-hand batsman with an unflappable air", as a cricket historian commented of him, Bombay born Ramnath Baburao Kenny, of a slight 5'7" frame, was another star performer who failed to do full justice to his talent at the highest level...

Making his Test debut on the final day of 1958 against the West Indies in Calcutta, Kenny played four more, the last being at the same venue against Australia in January 1960. His aggregate of 245 runs in five Tests @27.22, three half-tons with 62 as highest, betrayed his potential which he unfortunately did not realize. He was part of the Indian team that registered her maiden victory over Australia, the famous Jasu Patel Test at Kanpur, December 1959...

His domestic record of 3,079 runs @50.47 from 59 first class games with 218 as highest which included 11 tons and 11 fifties is evidence enough for his consistency and devotion towards the game. Throwing away one's wicket was a crime in Kenny's dictionary, and he believed that the space between the crease and the wickets belonged to the batsmen, who ought to be wise enough to utilize it well...

The batting mainstay of Bombay in the late 1950s, Kenny who began with the Indian Universities with distinction moved to Bengal during the final years of his career in 1961-62...

Hanging up his cricket playing boots at the age of 33, Kenny worked for Mahindra & Mahindra, and later on joined State Bank of India, Bombay. He became a professional coach in North England while playing league cricket for Cumberland. Kenny is also credited with assisting Sunil Gavaskar during the latter's early days...

Ramnath Kenny passed away on November 21, 1985 at Bombay. He was just 55...

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