In the long list of unlucky Indian cricketers, Shute Banerjee would probably find pride of place. He toured England in 1936 and 1946 without playing a Test. He played an unofficial `Test' as early as 1935 against Jack Ryder's Australian team, was good enough to play in three `Tests' against Lord Tennyson's team two years later, and also played one `Test' against the Australian Services team in 1945. But his full Test career was limited to just one appearance, by which time he was 35. A right-arm medium-fast bowler who thrived on hard work, Banerjee played in the shadow of Nissar and Amar Singh on the 1936 tour and ten years later, unluckily still did not get a chance. In his only Test, he was well past his best and yet took 1 for 73 and 4 for 54, bringing the West Indian innings to a quick end with an inspired spell. Yet, Banerjee has a claim to fame - as a batsman. A more than useful tailender, he had his moment in the sun at the Oval in 1946. He and Chandu Sarwate added 249 runs in 190 minutes for the last wicket for the Indian tourists against Surrey. Sarwate made 124 not out, Banerjee, going in last, scored 121 and it is still the only time in first-class cricket that Nos. 10 and 11 have scored centuries. In a first-class career that stretched almost 30 years, Banerjee took 381 wickets (26.61) and scored 3671 runs (20.50) with five centuries. His best bowling in an innings was 8 for 25 for Nawanagar against Maharashtra in 1941-42 and his highest score was 138 for Bihar against Bengal in 1952-53. He led Bihar in the Ranji Trophy for about 15 years.
Partab Ramchand

Remembered chiefly, for his amazing tenth-wicket stand of 249 with Sarwate for the Indians against Surrey in 1946, Shute Nath Banerjee, who died in Calcutta on October 14, aged 67, played in only one Test, against West Indies at Bombay, 1948-49, taking 5 for 127 in the match (a wicket with his fifth ball). He toured England in 1936 and 1946, and impressed in home matches against Ryder's Australian touring team, Tennyson's XI and the Australian Services side with his hostility with the ball.
Wisden Cricket Monthly

• Tale of the tail (Aug 4, 2007)
  
• The day Bedser couldn't knock over two tailenders (May 13, 2000)

Chandu Sarwate and S. Banerjee © Wisden

The 1946 Indian touring squad © Wisden

Shute Banerjee © The Cricketer International

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