Page "K. S. Ranjitsinhji" Paragraph 7

Even though Ranjitsinhji was no longer heir, Vibhaji increased his financial allowance but passed the responsibility for his education to the Bombay Presidency.

With his fees coming from the allowance, Ranjitsinhji continued his education at the College of princes.

Although his material position remained unchanged, comments made at the time by the principal of the college, Chester Macnaghten, suggest that Ranjitsinhji was bitterly disappointed by his disinheritance.

The college was organised and run like an English public school and Ranjitsinhji began to excel.

Macnaghten soon declared Ranjitsinhji his most accomplished and promising pupil ; Ranjitsinhji also established proficiency in gymnastics, tennis and cricket.

First introduced to cricket aged 10 or 11, he first represented the school in 1883 and was appointed captain in 1884 ; he maintained this position until 1888.

While he may have scored centuries for the school, the cricket was not of a particularly high standard, and very different to that played in England.

Ranjitsinhji did not take it particularly seriously and preferred tennis at the time.

No-one was certain what would become of him once he left the college but his academic prowess presented the solution of moving to England to study at Cambridge University.