Colonel Kumar Sri Sir Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji II, (10 September 1872 - 2 April 1933) known as Ranji or K. S. Ranjitsinhji came to Britain in 1888 at the age of 16, and began studying at Trinity College Cambridge the following year.

In 1893 Ranji was given a place in the Cambridge University team and subsequently played for Sussex and London County. In July 1896 Ranji was selected to play the second Test against Australia at Old Trafford in July 1896 where he became the first person of colour to play Test cricket for England. Ranji batted at three, following W G Grace and made 62 in the first innings and 154 not out in the second. He was awarded a Wisden Cricketer of the Year award in 1897. He subsequently toured Australia with the England team in the winter of 1897-98.

In 1907 Ranji became the ruler of his native Indian princely state of Nawanagar, he ruled until 1933. Depicting this time is this sepia photograph of Ranji sat at his desk which was taken by successful British photographer Carl Vandyck.

From 1882 Vandyck owned a studio at Gloucester Road, taking images of the British Royal Family including Queen Victoria, King George V as well as other notables such as Alexander I of Yugoslavia, Christian X of Denmark, Buffalo Bill and Enrico Caruso. During his career Vandyck took many photographs of Ranji and his set at Shillinglee Park Estate in West Sussex.

In 1983, Ranji’s nephew, Prince Satrusalyasinhji, gave the photograph to cricket writer Alan Ross to assist his research for his biography about the cricketer titled ‘Ranji: Prince of Cricketers’.

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Tuesday 19 August 2025, 10.30am BST
Dreweatts, Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JE, UK
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