A versatile
allrounder, Roger Binny proved his value to the Indian team in both
Test cricket and the one-day game. He was capable of rescuing India,
like he did while scoring 83 not out and sharing a record 155 run seventh-wicket
partnership with Madan Lal against Pakistan at Bangalore in 1983. He
was capable of bowling India to victory, as he did in taking seven wickets
in the match at Headingley in 1986. Or when with a spell of 4 for 9
in 30 balls towards his best Test figures of 6 for 56, he pushed Pakistan
to the wall at Calcutta in 1987. But there is no doubt that Binny's
most outstanding feats were associated with limited overs cricket -
and more specifically the 1983 World Cup. He played a leading role in
India's victorious campaign taking 18 wickets, then the record in the
competition.
Tall and athletically built, Binny was an aggressive batsman who could
either open the innings or go in the middle order, was a medium-pace
bowler who could swing the ball both ways - and was particularly effective
in English conditions - and an excellent field. He first made his mark
when putting on a record unbroken partnership of 451 runs for the first
wicket with Sanjay Desai in the Ranji Trophy game against Kerala in
1977-78, his share being 211. He was generally in and out of the Indian
team but whenever he was persevered with, he proved his value. With
the ball, he was capable of destructive spells like when he dismissed
Majid Khan, Zaheer Abbas and Miandad at Bombay in 1979 to put Pakistan
on the backfoot or when he dismissed Greenidge, Haynes and Richards
to rock the West Indies at Ahmedabad in 1983. A Karnataka stalwart for
several years, Binny later made his mark as a coach and was given a
lot of credit for the victory of the Under-19 team in the World Cup
in Sri Lanka in January 2000.
A versatile
allrounder, Roger Binny proved his value to the Indian team in both
Test cricket and the one-day game. He was capable of rescuing India,
like he did while scoring 83 not out and sharing a record 155 run seventh-wicket
partnership with Madan Lal against Pakistan at Bangalore in 1983. He
was capable of bowling India to victory, as he did in taking seven wickets
in the match at Headingley in 1986. Or when with a spell of 4 for 9
in 30 balls towards his best Test figures of 6 for 56, he pushed Pakistan
to the wall at Calcutta in 1987. But there is no doubt that Binny's
most outstanding feats were associated with limited overs cricket -
and more specifically the 1983 World Cup. He played a leading role in
India's victorious campaign taking 18 wickets, then the record in the
competition.