Remembering PROBIR KUMAR SEN, better known as Khokhan Sen (Born 31 May 1926 - Died 27 January 1970), former Indian Cricketer, on his Birth Anniversary today.
He represented his country in 14 Tests from 1948 to 1952.
He was born in an eminent business family, to Amiya Sen and Basanti Sen. Probir Sen, known as "Khokhan", was the first Bengali to represent India in Test matches, and the first Bengali to keep wickets for India.
His agility behind the stumps was beyond doubt, with 20 catches and 11 stumpings.
Sen played his first first-class cricket game representing Bengal in 1943, when he was only 17 years old and just out of school at La Martiniere Calcutta. A stocky right-handed wicketkeeper-batsman, Sen first toured with the Indian team in 1947–48 in Australia where he was to act as the reserve keeper to Jenni Irani. After impressing in the first-class fixtures he came into the side for the Third Test to make his Test debut at Melbourne on New Year's Day 1948. In the Fifth Test, also in Melbourne, he took four catches. Despite Australia making 575 runs he only conceded four byes. He was the only Indian wicket-keeper to stump Don Bradman, which he did in a four-day match against South Australia in 1947–48. When the West Indies toured India in 1948–49 he played his first home Test series and played in all five Tests.
His finest moment was in the final Test against England at Madras in 1951–52. Sen played a notable part in the historic victory, taking five stumpings, all off Vinoo Mankad, including four in the first innings to help his side to a famous win. After a tour of England in 1952 and a couple of Tests against the touring Pakistan team in 1952–53 he lost his place in the side.
With the bat Sen was a handy lower-order batsman, although he never made a Test half-century. Also an occasional bowler, during a Ranji Trophy game in 1954–55 against Orissa he took a hat-trick. Only two wicket-keepers have removed their pads and taken hat-tricks in first-class cricket: Probir Sen for Bengal against Orissa at Cuttack in 1954–55 and Alan Smith for Warwickshire against Essex at Clacton in 1965. He finished his Ranji Trophy career with 1796 runs at 30.44.
Perhaps the first outstanding Indian wicketkeeper, `Khokhan' Sen went to Australia as understudy to JK Irani but fine performances on the tour saw him make his Test debut midway through the series. From then on he remained the first choice Indian wicketkeeper for five years. Despite his stocky build, Sen was extremely agile and brought off a number of smart catches or lightning fast stumpings which did a lot to boost the morale of the bowlers. He first made his presence felt when he brought off four catches and let through only four byes when Australia scored 575 for eight declared at Melbourne in 1948. He played in all the five Tests against West Indies in 1948-49. In the early fifties he warded off competition from `Nana' Joshi and Madhav Mantri and had his finest moment in the final Test against England at Madras in 1951-52. Sen played a notable part in the historic victory, bringing of five stumpings, all off Vinoo Mankad, four of them in the first innings. He toured England in 1952, sharing the Test duties with Mantri and kept wickets in two more Tests against Pakistan in 1952-53 before losing his place, though he played in one unofficial `Test' against the SJOC team in 1953-54.
A useful late order batsman, Sen also occasionally loved to turn his arm over. In 1954-55 in a Ranji Trophy game against Orissa he handed over his gloves to a teammate, took the ball and promptly performed a hat-trick. In a 15-year first class career, Sen scored 2580 runs (23.24) with three centuries. He also effected 143 dismissals, 107 of them caught. In the Ranji Trophy, he scored 1796 runs (30.44). A character whose exuberence was infectious, Sen died suddenly after a heart attack, following a day's cricket at Calcutta.
Sen died in 1970 after playing a game of cricket at Calcutta. He had suffered a heart attack. He was survived by his wife, Reena Sen (whom he married in 1948, and who is the niece of the late Pankaj Gupta), his daughter Madhusree Dhar, his grandchildren Bikram, Debaki, and Aditi Dhar, and his son Abhijit Sen. His brother Ranabir Sen, a stylish left-handed batsman, played first-class cricket for Bengal.
In Sen's memory the cricket tourney trophy, the P. Sen Memorial Trophy, is played in Kolkata every year, with top Indian and international players participating.
