Raja Maharaj Singh - Oldest player to make his debut in first-class cricket

New Delhi, Nov 3: They say passion has no age and the fact is proven by many people time and again. However, there are many bubbles of surprises that wait to burst in the corner of history.

There have been instances when a few lucky ones not only realised their passion quite late and eventually ended up fulfilling them.

When it comes to cricket in India, there are thousands of astonishing records that make individuals swell our hearts with pride. Do you know about the age of oldest player to debut in the first-class cricket?

Yes, this record belongs to 'Raja Maharaj Singh' of India, who at the age of 72, captained the Bombay Governor's XI against a touring Commonwealth XI.

It was one fine day in the month of November in 1950 when Raja Maharaj Singh, hailing from Kapurthala royal family, played his maiden first-class match. Maharaj Singh, son of Raja Harnam Singh, also happened to be the first Indian Governor of Bombay.

As soon as he stepped into the ground to bat at No. 9, he became the oldest cricketer to make his first-class debut and became the oldest player to play a first-class game.

The skipper edged for three runs and took a run later in that over. Soon after, he was caught at first slip off the same bowler making 4 runs, but he had already claimed a record by then and written his name in the history books.

However, Laker -- the man who dismissed Raja Harnam Singh -- was 44 years younger than him. After the first day's play, Singh took no part in the game and in his absence, Yadavindra Singh of Patiala captained the Governor's XI.