B. Fry commented on Ranji's "distinctiveness", attributing it to "a combination of perfect poise and the quickness peculiar to the athletic Hindu". Neville Cardus described English cricket, before the arrival of Ranjitsinhji as "English through and through", but that when Ranji batted, "a strange light from the East flickered in the English sunshine". Wisden editor and cricket critic Steven Lynch says that "everything seems possible" for him while playing on a fast wicket. Titles His full title was Colonel His Highness Shri Sir Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji II, Jam Saheb of Nawanagar, GCSI, GBE. Legacy Bateman's work on cricket and the British Empire identifies Ranjitsinhji as an important figure in helping build "imperial cohesion", adding that his "cultural impact was immense". Bateman identifies in particular the use of Ranji's image during his era in advertising in England and Australia. This was a marked turnaround from the racism Ranji had faced early in his career, which he had tried to overcome with techniques such as adopting the pseudonym, "Smith". The popularity of an Indian playing cricket in England and for England was remarked upon during Ranjitsinhji's era. W. G. Grace directly linked Ranji's celebrity to "his extraordinary skill as a batsman and his nationality". After his death, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) started the Ranji Trophy in 1934, with the first fixtures taking place in 1934–35. The trophy was donated by Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, who also inaugurated it. Today it remains a domestic first-class cricket championship played in India between different city and state sides. As a ruler, his legacy is more patchy. McLeod summarises his achievements at home as having "remodelled his capital, constructed roads and railways, and built a great port with modern facilities". Due to his legacy on the cricket field, he is regarded as one of the best cricketers of Indian history. He is also regarded as being one of the finest batsmen to have played for the Sussex County Cricket Club. Notes Citations References Sources Further reading External links England Test cricketers Cricketers who made a century on Test debut English cricketers Sussex cricketers Sussex cricket captains Hindu monarchs London County cricketers Cambridge University cricketers Gentlemen cricketers Wisden Cricketers of the Year Wisden Leading Cricketers in the World Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India Indian Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire Alumni of