ODI career count: How many One-Day Internationals did Farokh Engineer play in total?
Correct Answer: 5
Introduction / Context:Farokh Engineer was a celebrated Indian wicketkeeper-batsman primarily from the pre-ODI era. Because his peak years preceded the proliferation of limited-overs internationals, his ODI count is modest and therefore a favorite GK trick question.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- Player: Farokh Engineer.
- Ask: Total ODIs played.
- Era: He featured in the early years of ODIs, including the 1975 World Cup period.
Concept / Approach:Recognize that many legends of the 1960s–early 1970s have low ODI tallies. Farokh Engineer’s international white-ball appearances were limited to the format’s infancy, far fewer than modern regulars.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Anchor the time frame: ODI cricket began in 1971, later than Engineer’s main Test career.Recall that Engineer did appear in the inaugural 1975 World Cup and a handful of ODIs around that time.Choose the smallest plausible count consistent with that brief window.Select 5 as the total ODIs played.Verification / Alternative check:Historical ODI player lists and World Cup archives list five ODI appearances for Farokh Engineer, aligning with his late-career limited-overs involvement.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- 9 / 10 / 15: Overestimates for a player whose prime predated regular ODI scheduling.
Common Pitfalls:Projecting modern match counts onto earlier generations or assuming that a star wicketkeeper automatically logged many ODIs. Context matters: the format was new and fixtures were sparse.
Final Answer:5