From 9,000 First-Class Runs to a 22-Year Court Battle: Jacob Martin’s Untold Story

By Pramit Meher

**22 Years in the Courtroom: Jacob Martin Cleared After Long Legal Battle** For most cricketers, the longest innings happen on the field. For **Jacob Martin**, it was played inside a courtroom. At 54, the former India batsman has finally walked free from a case that haunted him for 22 years. A Patiala House Court in Delhi acquitted Martin of all charges—forgery, cheating, criminal conspiracy and passport offences—arising from a controversial cricket tour to the UK. **From 9,000 FC Runs to a Star** Born in Baroda, Martin was a right-handed middle-order bat known for concentration and consistency. His breakthrough came in the 1998-99 Ranji season when he crossed 1,000 runs, becoming only the sixth player to do so in a single campaign. That earned him a national callup. His FC record is serious business: **138 matches, 9,000+ runs, 23 centuries, avg above 46**. He also captained Baroda to their 5th (and last) Ranji title in 2000-01, before returning as a coach. His India stint was brief—10 ODIs between 1999-2001, 158 runs. But domestically, he was a name to be respected. **The Tour That Changed Everything** According to Martin, a team he was linked to travelled to the UK in 2004. One player overstayed his visa, got a fake immigration stamp, was deported, then detained on return. Martin says his name was NOT in the original FIR—he was implicated later. He also hinted his ex-international profile drew unwanted attention. Police version differs: they alleged Martin and an associate arranged the youngster's trip under the guise of cricket, money changed hands, and bogus club **Ajwa Sports Club** was used. He was accused in what cops called an illegal immigration racket. **A Life Disrupted** He was arrested in Delhi, spent time in Tihar Jail. By 2016, the Baroda Cricket Association made him Ranji coach—controversial given the pending charges. Then, Dec 2018, a serious road accident in Vadodara left him critical—lung and liver damage, a month in ICU. Former teammates and administrators came forward with support. The case cost him his Railway job and blocked BCCI employment. He's called those years immensely stressful. **Closure** An acquittal clears the legal cloud—but can't return 22 lost years. For once, the final scorecard is in his favour. Source: Cricketnmore