Mahatma Gandhi was born on this day in Porbandar, Gujarat. His full name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who is considered one of the leading persons who give India independence from the British. But do you know that Gandhiji loved playing cricket. He loved cricket so much that he used to forget to eat and drink in his childhood.

According to Mahatma Gandhi’s autobiography, he did not have any attachment to physical exercise in childhood. Famous writer Ramchandra Guha refers to a person named Luis Fisher in one of his articles ‘Gandhi: Did He Spin More Than Khadi’, who sent a list of many questions to Mahatma Gandhi’s sister in 1948.

In it, his sister says that Mahatma Gandhi used to like cricket, football and tennis a lot in childhood. He was so dear to play that he used to forget even food and drink. Playing was so much that he did not return home till evening. It is said that Mahatma Gandhi and Maharaja Jam Saheb Ranjitsinghji studied at the same college in Rajkot. Ranjit Singhji later played Test cricket for England and also scored a century in his debut match.

Batting or bowling, what did Mahatma Gandhi do?

According to the book ‘Mahatma on the Pitch’, Gandhi started playing cricket in his school days. In those days, high school headmaster Dorabi Edulji Jimmy made cricket and exercise mandatory for everyone. It is also said that Mahatma Gandhi did not participate in cricket or any gymnasium because he was very shy. Or say that he wanted to spend time with his ailing father after school.

In this book, Ratilal Golabhai Mehta says that Gandhi used to play good cricket. Apart from bowling, he used to bat well.

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