Brijesh Patel

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Brijesh Patel India (Ind)

Batting style	Right-hand bat
Bowling type	Right-arm offbreak
	Tests	ODIs
Matches	21	10
Runs scored	972	243
Batting average	29.45	30.37
100s/50s	1/5	-/1
Top score	115*	82
Balls bowled	-	-
Wickets	-	-
Bowling average	-	-
5 wickets in innings	-	-
10 wickets in match	-	N/A
Best bowling	-	-
Catches/stumpings	17/-	1/-
As of 4 February 2006 Source: Cricinfo.com

Brijesh Patel pronunciation (help·info) (born 1952-11-24 in Baroda, Gujarat) grew up in Bangalore is an Indian cricketer who played for the Indian national cricket team as a right-handed batsman from 1974 until 1979.

B.P. Patel played in 21 Test matches from 1974 to 1977, and sustained a batting average of 29.45. He was also a bowler, but was never asked to deliver his right-arm off breaks for his national team. His highest Test score was 115 not out.

Though his international cricketing career did not sparkle, he is considered as one of the great cricketers of Indian domestic circuit with 37 hundreds and over 11000 runs. His talents first became evident as a student in Bishop Cotton Boys School, Bangalore, and he represented his country in a junior team that travelled to Australia. Through out his career, he represented Karnataka state and captained the team to many victories. Together with Gundappa Vishwanath, they formed a formidable batting pair feared by every bowler in the country at that time.

He has scored the highest number of centuries in Ranji cricket (the highest level of domestic cricket) and earned the unofficial title "Ranji Raja" (King of Ranji). A stylish right hand batsman, he was unfortunate to miss the "helmet" era of cricket, while less talented batsman of later days took advantage of this added protection and did better in batting averages.

He was an excellent fielder normally covering areas around cover and point.

After his playing days he became a shrewd cricket administrator.

A Jagmohan Dalmiya ( past President of the Indian Cricket Board(BCCI)) supporter, Brijesh was appointed the Director of the National Cricket Academy in India until he was replaced in 2005 by another ex Test cricketer, Shivlal Yadav, the current Director of the NCA.

Brijesh Patel has also been the Hon. Secy of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) since 1999 and controls cricket in Karnataka. Some years ago he was also the Chairman of the National Selection Committee for the Indian national team and resigned after suffering a heart ailment.

Brijesh Patel runs a private cricket coaching academy in Bangalore attended by more than 300 boys called B.P.C.A.( Brijesh Patel cricket Academy)