Rajinder Goel

Rajinder Goel (born 20 September 1942 in Narwana, Haryana) is a former cricketer who holds the record for most wickets in Ranji Trophy, India's premier first class competition, despite which he was never selected to play for India. A left arm spinner, he represented Patiala, Southern Punjab, Delhi and Haryana in domestic cricket.

The son of an assistant station master in the Indian Railways, Goel came up through the Vaish school and college in Rohtak. His first major success was for North Zone schools in 1957 when he took four wickets against West Zone in the final of the All-India schools tournament and was declared the best bowler of the competition. He made his Ranji debut in the next season. Goel credits his early success to his teacher and coach Kishan Dayal. He started his first class career with Patiala, which then evolved into the Southern Punjab team. He moved to Delhi in 1963 and Haryana ten years later.

Goel appeared for India against Ceylon in an unofficial Test at Ahmedabad in 1964-65 where he took 4 for 33 in the second innings. Thereafter, the presence of the "Indian spin quartet", especially Bishen Bedi who bowled in a similar style, restricted his appearances for India. When Bedi was dropped from the team for the Bangalore Test against West Indies in 1974-75 on disciplinary grounds for appearing in a BBC interview, Goel was selected to the Indian team but was excluded at the last moment. He also took 6-102 and 3-43 against the Australians in 1979-80. Goel rated his 12-134 against the South Zone in the final of the 1975-76 Duleep Trophy as his most satisfying performance.