Pradyumansinhji Lakhajirajsinhji (24 February 1913 – 9 November 1973), the 14th Thakore Saheb of Rajkot, was an Indian nobleman and ruler of the princely state of

Rajkot Rajkot () is the fourth-largest city in the Indian state of Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the ...

from June 1940 until the abolition of princely titles in 1971. The third son of Lakhajirajsinhji II Bavajirajsinhji, the 12th Thakore Saheb, Pradyumansinhji succeeded to the title after the death of his older brother, Dharmendrasinhji, on 11 June 1940.Rajkot (Princely State)
– Indian Rajputs. Retrieved 12 December 2012.

Sportsman

Like his father, who played three first-class matches, Pradyumansinhji had a keen interest in

cricket Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...

, and was a patron of the game in

Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...

. He made his first-class debut in December 1936, playing for

Western India Western India is a loosely defined region of India consisting of western states of India, Republic of India. The Ministry of Home Affairs (India), Ministry of Home Affairs in its Western Zonal Council Administrative divisions of India, Adminis ...

against

in the 1936–37

Ranji Trophy The Ranji Trophy is a premier domestic first-class cricket championship played in India and organized annually by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The teams representing regional and state cricket associations participate. BCCI ...

. A regular player, he served as captain of Western India from the 1940–41 season to its dissolution after the 1945–46 season, a result of his title rather than cricketing ability. From the 1946–47 season to his retirement after the 1950–51 season, he was captain of the Kathiawar team, which from the 1951–52 season played as

Saurashtra Saurashtra, Sourashtra, or variants may refer to: ** Kathiawar, also called Saurashtra Peninsula, a peninsula in western India ** Saurashtra (state), alias United State of Kathiawar, a former Indian state, merged into Bombay State and since its d ...

, representing the eponymous region of India. Pradyumansinhji played almost exclusively as a

batsman In cricket, batting is the act or skill of hitting the cricket ball, ball with a cricket bat, bat to score runs (cricket), runs and prevent the dismissal (cricket), loss of one's wicket. Any player who is currently batting is, since Septembe ...

, although he usually batted in the lower order. Pradyumansinhji made two half-centuries during his career, with his highest score, an innings of 77 runs, achieved against

Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...

during the 1948–49 Ranji Trophy. This match was particularly notable for its conclusion, with Pradyumansinhji (as Kathiawar's captain) deciding to concede the match at

tea Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of '' Camellia sinensis'', an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of south-western China and nor ...

on the third day. Maharashtra were 826/4, with B. B. Nimbalkar having scored 443

not out In cricket, a batsman is not out if they come out to bat in an innings and have not been dismissed by the end of an innings. The batsman is also ''not out'' while their innings is still in progress. Occurrence At least one batter is not out at ...

, the first (and only) quadruple century in Indian first-class cricket, and nine runs behind Sir

Donald Bradman Sir Donald George Bradman (27 August 1908 – 25 February 2001), nicknamed "The Don", was an Australian international cricketer, widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time. His cricketing successes have been claimed by Shane ...

's world record score of 452 not out. In a move regarded as highly unsporting, Pradyumansinhji forfeited the match to prevent his team being associated with the breaking of such a record. He played his last first-class match in December 1950.First-Class Matches played by Thakore Saheb of Rajkot (13)
– CricketArchive. Retrieved 12 December 2012.

Personal life

Outside of cricket, Pradyumansinhji lost most of his official power after Indian independence in 1947, when Rajkot was incorporated into

United State of Kathiawar Saurashtra State, formally known as United State of Kathiawar and later United State of Saurashtra, was a state of India that existed between 1948 and 1956, on Saurashtra alias Kathiawar peninsula, with Rajkot as its capital. History For ...

(later the United State of Saurashtra). Rajkot's former territory would later become part of

Bombay State Bombay State was a large Indian state created in 1950 from the erstwhile Bombay Province, with other regions being added to it in the succeeding years. Bombay Province (in British India roughly equating to the present-day Indian state of Mah ...

(November 1956 – May 1960) and

(May 1960 onwards). After a 1971

amendment An amendment is a formal or official change made to a law, contract, constitution, or other legal document. It is based on the verb to amend, which means to change for better. Amendments can add, remove, or update parts of these agreements. They ...

to the

Constitution of India The Constitution of India is the supreme law of India, legal document of India, and the longest written national constitution in the world. The document lays down the framework that demarcates fundamental political code, structure, procedures ...

, Pradyumansinhji was stripped of any legal recognition of his titles (as well as access to the

Privy Purse The Privy Purse is the British sovereign's private income, mostly from the Duchy of Lancaster. This amounted to £20.1 million in net income for the year to 31 March 2018. Overview The Duchy is a landed estate of approximately 46,000 acres (20 ...

), although he maintained them as a

courtesy Courtesy (from the word , from the 12th century) is gentle politeness and courtly manners. In the Middle Ages in Europe, the behaviour expected of the nobility was compiled in courtesy books. History The apex of European courtly culture was ...

until his death in November 1973. His son, Manoharsinhji, succeeded him as the merely nominal Thakore Saheb, and also played first-class cricket for Saurashtra.Thakore Saheb of Rajkot
– CricketArchive. Retrieved 12 December 2012.

Titles

* 24 February 1913 – 11 June 1940: Kumar Pradyumansinhji, Yuvraj Saheb of Rajkot * 11 June 1940 – 28 December 1971: His Highness Thakore Saheb Shri Pradyumansinhji Lakhajirajsinhji, 14th Thakore Saheb of Rajkot * 28 December 1971 – 9 November 1973: Mr. Pradyumansinhji Lakhajirajsinhji Jadeja

References

{{end 1913 births 1973 deaths Indian cricketers 20th-century Indian monarchs People from Rajkot Saurashtra cricketers Cricketers from Gujarat Western India cricketers