Bishan Singh Bedi used to spun a web around most batsmen across the world and formed a dangerous quartet along with off-spinners Erapalli Prasanna and Srinivas Venkataraghavan, and leg-spinner Bhagwat Chandrasekhar
Former India captain and the country’s greatest-ever left-arm spinner Bishan Singh Bedi died on Monday after a prolonged illness. He was 77 years old and is survived by his wife Anju, son Angad and daughter Neha.
Bishan Singh Bedi used to spun a web around most batsmen across the world and formed a dangerous quartet along with off-spinners Erapalli Prasanna and Srinivas Venkataraghavan, and leg-spinner Bhagwat Chandrasekhar and was one of the main key persons of India’s golden generation in spin bowling.Bishan Singh Bedi has 266 wickets in 67 test matches. He also took seven wickets in 10 One-Day Internationals.
The Amritsar-born spinner, who played domestic cricket for Delhi, finished his career with 1,560 wickets in first-class cricket –more than any other Indian.
Bishan Singh Bedi’s best bowling figures are in Australia’s Perth where he took 10 wickets in the match and giving away 94 runs.
Among the most memorable performances, Bishan Singh Bedi’s performances against Australia and New Zealand are most noteworthy. He took 21 wickets against Australia in 1969 which includes his career best of 7 wickets for just 98 runs.
Bishan Singh Bedi was a part of the squad that scripted history in England and West Indies in the 1970s. Bishan Singh Bedi took 25 wickets when England toured India in 1972 and 1976.
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 part of Indian cricket’s golden quartet of spinners, others being Erapalli Prasanna, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar 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 honored with the Padma Shri Award in 1970. Bedi also represented Northamptonshire in English county cricket for many years.
Courtesy: Mint
