Former Team India captain Bishan Singh Bedi passed away at 77 on Monday, October 23 after battling a prolonged illness. He was survived by his wife Anju, son Angad and daughter Neha. The legendary cricketer is regarded as the greatest-ever left-arm spinner to have every played for India.
Born in Amritsar, Bishan Singh Bedi represented Delhi in domestic cricket. He led them to their first two Ranji Trophy titles in 1978-79 and 1979-80. He debuted for Team India in December 1966 against West Indies at the Eden Gardens. The legendary spinner represented the country for over a decade, playing 67 Test matches and 10 One-Day Internationals. Bedi took 273 International wickets, including fourteen five-wicket hauls and best bowling figures of 7/98 in an innings against Australia in Calcutta.
The BCCI mourns the sad demise of former India Test Captain and legendary spinner, Bishan Singh Bedi.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and fans in these tough times.
May his soul rest in peace š pic.twitter.com/oYdJU0cBCV
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 23, 2023
Bishan Singh Bedu was part of the spin quartet featuring Erapalli Prasanna, BS Chandrasekhar, and S. Venkataraghavan. They were the architects of India’s spin-bowling revolution and played an important role in India’s first-ever ODI victory. The left-arm bowler had great bowling figures of 12-8-6-1 to hold East Africa to 120 runs in the 1975 World Cup. He also led India in 22 Tests, winning six of those matches. He was also one of the most successful overseas players in the English County cricket circuit, bagging 434 wickets for Northamptonshire.
Bishan Singh Bedi left an indelible mark on the game: Jay Shah, BCCI Secretary
The Board of Control for Cricket in India, Secretary, Jay Shah paid his tribute to Bishan Singh Bedi. He highlighted the former cricketer’s contribution to the game and expressed that Indian cricket has lost an icon. Taking to ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), Jay Shah wrote,
“Sad to hear the demise of Shri Bishan Singh Bedi. Indian Cricket has lost an icon today. Bedi Sir defined an era of cricket and he left an indelible mark on the game with his artistry as a spin bowler and his impeccable character. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
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