Captaincy
With the campaign against caste discrimination gaining nationwide support, the selection committee for the 1923 Quadrangular made history by appointed Vithal as the captain of the Hindus team, making him the first lower-caste Hindu to lead the team. Vithal led the team to thrilling victories over the Mohammedan and European teams, where his captaincy and personal performance were praised. His four-year tenure (1923 to 1926) as captain was filled with similar successes and culminated with the Hindus winning the Quadrangular trophy.
Being dropped in favour of younger players in 1929, Vithal continued playing for clubs before retiring from first-class cricket in 1932; his nephew Y. B. Palwankar also played first-class cricket. He left the Hindus two years before the formation of the first Indian national cricket team. After his retirement he continued with his job at the Greater Indian Peninsular Railway, which he had joined after leaving school, while his eldest brother, Palwankar Baloo rose in Indian politics. Vithal died in Mumbai on November 26, 1971.
Read more about this topic: Vithal Palwankar