New Delhi, June 21: Former India batsman Mohammad Kaif mourned the demise of former domestic cricketer Rajinder Goel, who passed away at the age of 77 due to age-related health issues on Sunday. The left-arm spinner played 157 first-class matches, most of them for Haryana, and finished with 750 wickets.
He holds the record for most wickets taken in Ranji Trophy as he scalped 637, 107 more than S Venkataraghavan who is second on the list. Goel made his debut in the 1957-58 season and went on to play domestic cricket until the age of 44. Rudra Pratap Singh Mourns the Death of Former Haryana Spinner Rajinder Goyal, Says 'He Was Very Unlucky to Miss Test Cap’.
"Man with the most Ranji Trophy wickets & a domestic stalwart Rajinder Goel is no more. Picked 750 First-Class wickets yet never played for India. A dacoit wrote to him congratulating him on picking 600 Ranji Trophy wickets. Goel ji was happy & even replied to him #RIP sir," Kaif tweeted.
Man with the most Ranji Trophy wickets & a domestic stalwart Rajinder Goel is no more. Picked 750 First-Class wickets yet never played for India. A dacoit wrote to him congratulating him on picking 600 Ranji Trophy wickets. Goel ji was happy & even replied to him #RIP sir pic.twitter.com/m3cXcBIX8F
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) June 21, 2020
Despite the illustrious record in the domestic cricket, Goel never played for India in any format of the game. Taking to Twitter India spinner Harbhajan Singh wrote, "Very sad news Rajinder Goel ji is no more #RipRajindergoel ji."
In 2017, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) honoured Rajinder Goel with the CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award.
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