Who is the Father of Cricket: Cricket is such a game that has millions of fans. Many players have contributed to making this game so popular. There have been some players whose names have been written in golden letters on the pages of cricket’s past. One of them has also been such a player who is also known as the Father of Cricket.
In this article, we will know Who is the Father of Cricket, His Biography, Stats and much more.
Who is the Father of Cricket: William Gilbert Grace
| Date of Birth | 18 August 1848 |
| Date of Death | 23 October 1915 |
| Brother’s name | Fred Grace and E.M. Grace |
| Test Debut | 1880 |
| Team | England, Gloucestershire, Marylebone Cricket Club, London County, |
| First-class Matches | 1865 – 1909 |
| Centuries and Half centuries in first class cricket | 126 and 254 |
Cricket, which originated in England, where it was played only by the elite, used to be played between amateurs and professionals, professionals used to be batsmen and in a way it used to be their game, on the other hand, amateurs used to be bowlers who were not given any value at that time.
Then cricket saw the birth of a player whose impact on the game was such that it changed its course. We are talking about English cricketer William Gilbert Grace who was born on 18 August 1848 and died on 23 October 1915 at the age of 67. At the time when he came into the world of cricket, there were no T20 and One Day International matches, then there was only Test cricket. He played for London County and MCC Gloucestershire. He made his debut in 1880 against Australia and also played his last match against Australia.
W.G. Grace had mastered all three components of the game, be it the bat, the ball, or the field. W.G. Grace was quite an admired cricketer and apart from this, he was also a doctor. So he used to play both these forms very well.
Grace had a remarkable career in the English first-class arena that lasted an outstanding 44 seasons. He was well known for his beer addiction and ever-expanding stomach. Despite his influence on the game’s growth, he was a very renowned player because he was one of the founding members of the MCC and played 22 times for England in Tests.
Cricket has become a very attractive profession in today’s time, many cricketers work hard day and night to make a career in this game and also sacrifice a lot so that they can become a part of this professional game. One such player was William Gilbert Grace at a time when cricket was not even a professional sport.
Who is the Father of Cricket: Stats
He played only 22 Test matches in his lifetime but still, he is known as the Father of Cricket because he gave his all for this game. He has played a total of 44 first-class sessions in English cricket as well as played 870 first-class games at a time when no one took cricket seriously. In such a situation, Grace gave her time and energy to this game.
More than 54,000 runs were scored and 2,800 wickets were taken by WG Grace. He has one of the most impressive playing careers ever thanks to it, and with more than 870 first-class catches, he more than deserves his position in the pantheon of all-time great cricketers. And this is the reason, he is the answer to Who is the Father of Cricket.
G. Grace’s legacy is still felt today in English cricket. Because of the influence he has had on English and international cricket for more than 150 years after playing in his first professional match, the entrance to Lord’s is referred to as the Grace Gates.
Who is the Father of Cricket: G. Grace’s Contribution
| Matches | Innings | Runs | Average | Highest Score | Centuries/Half Centuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batting | 870 | 54,896 | 39.55 | 344 | 126/264 |
| Bowling | 760 | 2,876 | 18.14 | 10/49 | — |
WG. Grace’s dedication to cricket was incredible. The amount of hard work and sacrifices he made for this game was of a completely different level. Grace chose the world of cricket when there were not many countries playing this game, it was not even a professional sport like it is today, nor was there much money in it. Then WG Grace played 870 first-class cricket and also 22 test matches.
He has scored 126 centuries and 254 half-centuries in his amazing first-class cricket career. He was a very good all-rounder cricketer, whether it was batting, bowling or fielding, he was amazing in every field.
Also, read: The History of Cricket in India
Question 1. Who is considered the founder of Indian cricket?
Answer. Kumar Shri Ranji Singh, the governor of Gujarat’s Navanagar state, is largely considered the guy who founded Indian cricket. Brilliant cricketer Ranjitsinhji also referred to as Ranji represented England.
Question 2. Who is the “God of Cricket”?
Answer. Tendulkar is referred to as the God of Cricket for several reasons. With more runs and hundreds scored in Tests and ODIs than any other batsman, breaking multiple records, and receiving all of the game’s honours, he is the most successful batsman in cricket history.
Question 3. Who is the cricketing monarch of India?
Answer. The IPL team Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Indian cricket team are both captained by Virat Kohli. B. Kohli, commonly referred to as the king of cricket, is regarded as one of the best batsmen in the world.
Question 4. Who is considered the greatest finisher in the sport of cricket?
Answer: MS Dhoni is widely recognized as the greatest finisher in the history of cricket. He is known for maintaining his composure even in the most challenging situations during matches.
Question 5. Who is considered the best IPL captain?
Answer: Based on the winning percentage, MS Dhoni is considered to be the greatest IPL captain. He has led his team in 226 matches and won 133 of them, which amounts to a winning percentage of 59.37%. Additionally, Dhoni has led Chennai to five championships.
