Full name Babaji Palwankar Baloo Born March 19, 1876, Bombay, Maharashtra Major teams Hindus Batting style Left-hand bat Bowling style Slow left-arm orthodox
Palwankar Baloo's name stands out in history, and not just in cricket as he, though being an unfair victim of the caste system, managed to challenge this very system with his immense cricketing talents.
Palwankar Baloo was an employee of the Poona cricket ground. He had the opportunity to bowl in the nets to the English who would come to the ground to practice and play cricket. His talent was immediately recognized. But owing to the prevalent caste system, and given the fact that he belonged to a lower caste, the Brahmins and other higher caste people refused to include him in the teams. But with the insistence of a few players and some Britishers, Baloo got the opportunity to represent the Hindus. Nevertheless, he never got the opportunity to bat and was confined just to bowling. Batting was always reserved for the higher castes.
Palwankar Baloo took 179 wickets in 33 matches before quitting cricket and joining politics. He became a close aid of BR Ambedkar and fought for the rights of the lower castes.
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