Former India captain and legendary spinner Bishan Singh Bedi passed away on October 23. He was 77-years-old. Born in Amritsar in 1946, Bedi played 67 Tests for India and took 266 wickets with 14 five wicket hauls and one 10-wicket haul.

He was the part of Indian cricket’s golden quartet of spinners, others being Erapalli Prasanna, Bhagwat Chadrasekhar and Srinivas Venkataraghavan, who formed the core of India’s bowling unit for more than a decade between 1966 and 1978.

Keeping an eye on a young Kapil Dev, later Sachin Tendulkar or Kumble, Bedi was always invested in cricket.

October 25, 2023 12:08 am | Updated 11:58 am IST

Part of the famous spin-quartet, he was the first among equals despite the generous manner in which he always gave credit to Erapalli Prasanna, B.S. Chandrasekhar and S. Venkataraghavan. His numbers — 266 Test wickets and 1560 First Class scalps — are staggering.

An action that was easy on the eye and one that held many unfathomable secrets for befuddled rivals, followed by a twinkle in his eye and the propensity to guffaw remained the eternal blend of a fine professional soaked in the amateur spirit.

Playing for India or plying his trade in English Counties, Bedi found eternal friendships. One such was with Pakistan’s Intikhab Alam, now a distraught friend struggling with grief. Bedi remained a man of the world and knowledge had to be shared, be it with Anil Kumble, Shane Warne, Monty Panesar or Sunil Joshi. Not for Bedi the rigid boundaries of hyper-nationalism or regionalism.

Bedi could be affectionate and abrasive, he held no punches back but he cared deeply.

Keeping an eye on a young Kapil Dev, later Sachin Tendulkar or Kumble, Bedi was always invested in cricket.

“Hello young man,” would be his hearty greeting before a pithy observation, about a match in progress or a world in crisis, emerged. Much like the great Michael Holding, Bedi had a wide perspective.

He never believed in monopolies and preferred nuance. Ever the contrarian with a good heart, Bedi spoke his mind about the BCCI or the local Delhi District Cricket Association. Not for him the dull word or the mask of political-correctness. His departure leaves the world poorer.

Venkatesh Prasad, R. Kaushik, Dilip Vengsarkar, WV Raman, VVS Laxman and TVS Tyres’ P. Madhavan at the launch of the book ‘The Lords of Wankhede’.
| Photo Credit: MURALI KUMAR K

India’s triumph at the 1983 World Cup after beating the mighty West Indies marked an epochal shift in the country’s cricketing landscape. It became the No.1 sport, and by 2011 when India won again, the success was seen as a national rite of passage.

Former India cricketer W.V. Raman and senior journalist R. Kaushik have set about exploring the evolution of Indian cricket in these 28 years in the book The Lords of Wankhede, which was unveiled at a star-studded function, graced by the likes of Dilip Vengsarkar, VVS Laxman, and Venkatesh Prasad, among others, at the Century Club here on Tuesday.

The tag of a world champion, though, was tough to wear, conceded Vengsarkar. “It was very difficult because the BCCI invited the West Indies to India very soon,” the 67-year-old said, as the audience burst into laughter.

“They came fully prepared. The ODI series was especially bad because we lost all games. I still remember the match in Jamshedpur where Viv Richards and Gordon Greenidge were having a competition – who would hit longer? We were just watching.”

Regardless, the victory inspired many a budding cricketer, including VVS Laxman. “You can ask Sachin, Sourav and many others, all of us feel the same – the 1983 win was a turning point in our lives.”

“We all came up the ranks and always thought about maximising our potential as a team, both at home and overseas. To live that dream from around the age of nine and represent the country was a huge honour.”

India’s story between the two Cup wins is punctuated by many historic moments, like the 1986 tied Test between India and Australia, Anil Kumble’s perfect 10, and India becoming the No.1 Test nation in 2009. The book presents vivid sketches of these and many other accomplishments.

“Cricket in the 1980s was of great quality and was very competitive,” recalled Raman. “In the tied Test, a lot of things were overlooked. The result will be spoken about for centuries. But Kapil’s hundred in that game was one of his best. Late Dean Jones’ innings (210 & 24) and Greg Mathews’ bowling (10/249)…”

There is also room in the book for some of the low points, chief among them would be the fixing saga at the turn of the millennium.

“It was a very confusing state,” said Kaushik. “There were rumours, some of them about people who we knew personally. But the biggest fallout was that it left no space for genuine cricketing mistakes. That was unfair on an entire generation of cricketers.”

P. Madhavan, executive vice-chairman of TVS Tyres (sponsor of the event), also spoke. A minute’s silence was observed to condole the demise of legendary spinner Bishan Singh Bedi.

Legendary cricketer Bishan Singh Bedi (L) with son Angad. File.
| Photo Credit: Rajeev Bhatt

Legendary spinner Bishan Singh Bedi passed away on Monday at the age of 77 in Delhi after a prolonged illness. A day after his demise, his son Angad Bedi and daughter-in-law Neha Dhupia paid tribute to him via an official statement. The note read, “Isn’t it completely in Dad’s character to bowl us over with the ultimate spin ball, one that even we never saw coming. While we are in shock and overcome with grief, we find solace in knowing that he lived a rich, fearless, and full life that inspired many.”

The bereaved family also thanked everyone for remembering the late cricketer and celebrating his “grit, humour and giant heart”.

Also read: Bishan Singh Bedi death | It is a personal loss to me and my whole family, says Prasanna

“It is heartwarming to see how many generations Dad inspired through his life. Every day of his life was spent in devotion to his family and faith, and in service to his Waheguru. He epitomised living a life that was Nirbhau-Nirvair and we are comforted in knowing that he is with His Beloved now. “

“Dad, we were blessed to have you as our fearless leader. We will strive to live by your motto – to observe and absorb. Keep guiding us from the great beyond. In love and faith, Anju Bedi, Angad Bedi, Neha Dhupia Bedi, Neha Bedi Gautam Malhotra, Mehr Dhupia Bedi Guriq Dhupia Bedi, Suhavi Bedi Malhotra,” the statement further read.

The legendary spinner represented India in 67 Tests and 10 ODIs, taking a combined of 273 wickets. Renowned for his profound understanding of the game, Bedi’s elegant and rhythmic bowling action, coupled with his ability to generate prodigious spin, and his discipline with the ball earned him tremendous success.

With an astounding , 1,560 first-class wickets to his credit, Bedi also led India in 22 Tests, with three of the six wins coming on foreign soil. He also featured in India’s inaugural ODI, played on July 13, 1974, in Leeds. At the time of his retirement, Bedi held the distinction of being India’s highest wicket-taker in Test cricket.

Post-retirement, he briefly served as Manager and was also a national selector. His illustrious cricketing journey was aptly recognised with several accolades, including the prestigious Padma Shri in 1970 and BCCI’s C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004.

Former left-arm spinner, Bishan Singh Bedi. File.
| Photo Credit: V.V. Subrahmanyam

Former India captain and legendary spinner Bishan Singh Bedi passed away on October 23. He was 77-years-old.

Born in Amritsar in 1946, Bedi played 67 Tests for India and took 266 wickets with 14 five wicket hauls and one 10-wicket haul.

He was the part of Indian cricket’s golden quartet of spinners, others being Erapalli Prasanna, Bhagwat Chadrasekhar and Srinivas Venkataraghavan, who formed the core of India’s bowling unit for more than a decade between 1966 and 1978.

Bedi was briefly the manager of the Indian cricket team in 1990 during tours of New Zealand and England.

He was also a national selector and mentor to many talented spinners like Maninder Singh and Murali Kartik, who all swore by his technical insight.

(With inputs from PTI)