Probir Sen
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Probir Kumar 'Khokhan' Sen 
pronunciation (born 31 May 1926 Comilla (Bengal, now in Bangladesh), died 27 January 1970, South Kolkata (Bengal)) was an Indian cricketer who 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, more passionately known as 'khokhan', in the cricketing parleys is still the first Bengali to represent India in test matches, and the first Bengali to have kept wickets for India in test matches. 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 fixture he came into the XI for the 3rd Test to make his Test debut at Melbourne on New Year's Day 1948. The 5th Test was played in Melbourne as well and Sen took four catches. Despite Australia making 575 runs he only conceded four byes.
When the West Indies toured India in 1948/49 he played his first home Test series and played in each of the five matches.
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 over England. After a tour of England and a couple of Test against Pakistan in 1952-53 he lost his place in the side.
With the bat Sen had been 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. Two wicket-keepers have removed their pads and taken hat-tricks in first-class cricket: Probir Sen for Bengal v Orissa at Cuttack in 1954-55 and A.C. (Alan) Smith for Warwickshire v Essex at Clacton in 1965. Both of these men share the distinction of having carved a niche of being the only wicketkeepers to have achieved such a feat.
He finished his Ranji Trophy career with 1796 runs at 30.44.
Sen died in 1970 after playing a game of cricket at Calcutta. He had suffered a heart attack. He 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 sister Moni, and brothers Samir and Ranabir Sen, both are in Kolkata. Ranabir also played first class cricket and was a stylish left-handed batsman who had also played for Bengal.
Sen, in whose memory the premier cricket tourney trophy, named the P. Sen Memorial Trophy, is played in Kolkata every year, with top Indian and international players participating.
References
- Cricinfo Profile
- CricketArchive Profile
- Teams Khokhan Sen played for
- Stats & Records
- Our Men Behind The Wicket
- Scorecard at Adelaide Oval: Bradman getting stumped in the 2nd innings after scoring a double hundrrd in the first innings
- First-class Batting and Fielding On Each Ground by Khokhan Sen
- Ranabir Sen profile
- Wisden - Obituaries in 1970