Bharati Vij

Bharati Vij
Personal information
Born (1967-01-09) 9 January 1967 (age 57)
Ludhiana, Punjab, India
BattingRight-handed
BowlingSlow left-arm orthodox
RoleBowler
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1987/88–1997/98Punjab
Career statistics
Competition FC List A
Matches 72 28
Runs scored 786 83
Batting average 13.10 8.30
100s/50s 0/0 0/0
Top score 42 14
Balls bowled 17,724 1,557
Wickets 319 45
Bowling average 23.41 19.35
5 wickets in innings 24 0
10 wickets in match 8 n/a
Best bowling 7/27 4/29
Catches/stumpings 32/– 4/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 1 January 2016

Bharati Vij (born 9 January 1967) is a former Indian first-class cricketer who played for Punjab. After retirement, he became an umpire and also started a cricket academy.

Career

Vij made his first-class debut for Punjab in the 1987/88 season. He came to the limelight in 1992–93 Ranji Trophy which Punjab won, by finishing as the highest wicket-taker of the tournament with 49 scalps at an average of 17.55.[1] He took 6/61 and 3/33 in the final against Maharashtra at Ludhiana, leading Punjab to a 120-run victory and their maiden Ranji title.[2]

In the following Ranji season, Vij took 38 wickets at 14.05 including five five-wicket hauls and two ten-wicket hauls to finish as the third-highest wicket-taker.[3] Playing for North Zone in the 1994/95 Duleep Trophy, he took most number of wickets in the tournament (20).[4] He finished with the most wickets in the following year's Duleep Trophy as well, with 26 wickets at 24.03.[5] He was the second highest wicket-taker in 1996–97 Ranji Trophy with 53 wickets at 20.26 including six five-wicket hauls and three ten-wicket hauls.[6]

With the emergence of Harbhajan Singh and Navdeep Singh, the 1997/98 season turned out to be the last for Vij despite finishing as his team's leading wicket-taker in that season's Ranji Trophy.[7]

After retirement, Vij took up umpiring. In 2000, he became an on-field umpire for club cricket matches,[8] before becoming a first-class and List A umpire in 2008.[9] He also worked as the spin bowling coach for Punjab.[10]

A cricket academy was started in Chandigarh called Bharati Vij Cricket Academy.

References

  1. ^ "Bowling in Ranji Trophy 1992/93 (Ordered by Wickets)". CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  2. ^ "Punjab v Maharashtra in 1992/93". CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  3. ^ "Bowling in Ranji Trophy 1993/94 (Ordered by Wickets)". CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  4. ^ "Bowling in Duleep Trophy 1994/95 (Ordered by Wickets)". CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  5. ^ "Bowling in Duleep Trophy 1995/96 (Ordered by Wickets)". CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  6. ^ "Bowling in Ranji Trophy 1996/97 (Ordered by Wickets)". CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  7. ^ "Bowling in Ranji Trophy 1997/98 (Ordered by Wickets)". CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  8. ^ "Bharati Vij as Umpire in Miscellaneous Matches". CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  9. ^ "Bharati Vij as Umpire in First-Class Matches". CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  10. ^ "'Batsmen today are a pampered lot'". Rediff. Retrieved 9 January 2016.