Farokh Engineer
A flamboyant Indian wicket-keeper who brought panache to the crease and became a trailblazing star in English county cricket.
Born 1938 (age 88)·Indian cricketer·Birthday: February 25·The Silent Generation
Biography
Farokh Engineer played cricket with a swagger that was entirely his own. In an era of more reserved Indian cricketers, he arrived at the crease with his distinctive hairstyle and attacking intent, whether donning the gloves or wielding the bat. His aggressive keeping to India's famed spin quartet was as vital as his explosive opening batting. Engineer broke ground as one of the first Indian players to become a major star in English county cricket, where his performances for Lancashire made him a favorite at Old Trafford. His selection for the prestigious Rest of the World XI tours confirmed his status as a global star. He played the game with a joyful, combative spirit that made him a pioneer for the modern, confident Indian cricketer.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Farokh was born in 1938, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Farokh Was Born
The biggest hits of 1938
#1 Movie
You Can't Take It with You
Best Picture
You Can't Take It with You
Farokh's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1938Born
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1943Started school
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1951Became a teenager
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1954Could drive
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1956Could vote
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1959Turned 21
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1968Turned 30
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 40
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 50
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 60
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 70
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 80
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 88 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Represented India in 46 Test matches as a wicket-keeper and often an opening batsman from 1961 to 1975.
- Was the first-choice wicket-keeper for the Rest of the World XI teams that toured England and Australia in the early 1970s.
- Had a highly successful county cricket career with Lancashire, helping them win the 1970 Gillette Cup and the 1971 John Player League.
- Awarded the first-ever Man of the Match for India in a Cricket World Cup for his performance against East Africa in 1975.
Did You Know?
He is a Parsee, a member of the Zoroastrian community that has produced several notable Indian cricketers.
He worked as an airline executive for Air India during and after his playing career.
He was known for his stylish sideburns and bouffant hairstyle, a signature look on the field.
“I played my cricket with a smile and attacked from the first ball.”
