Ghulam Guard, the first left-arm seamer to open bowling for India, was born on this day, 1925.
At 6'3", Guard was the tallest Indian cricketer between Ladha Ramji (1933-34) and Abey Kuruvilla (1997).
He also worked in the police force as a sub-inspector.
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Guard took 5/66 and 4/69 in the final of the 1959-60 Ranji Trophy.
And then he found a mention in a police journal. Not many Indian cricketers have achieved this.
The report in Indian Police Journal, Volume 5 ran:
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"Ghulam Guard, Sub-Inspector in the Bombay State Police Force, hit newspaper headlines with his fine spell of bowling in the Ranji Trophy Cricket Final between Bombay and Mysore."
Guard bowled at a lively pace and could move the ball, and his height helped him generate bounce.
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