Dubai: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday conveyed its deep sorrow over the demise of former Indian captain and legendary spinner Bishan Singh Bedi.
The spin legend, who had been unwell and had to undergo multiple surgeries, including one on the knee which happened in late September this year, died on Monday at the age of 77 after battling a prolonged illness.
He is survived by his wife Anju, and two children: Neha and Angad.
In a statement, ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice extolled the qualities of the spin legend, saying he was one of the masters of flight and turn who would be remembered for years to come.
“It’s sad to hear of the passing of Bishan Bedi. I would like to extend heartfelt condolences from everyone at the ICC to the family of one of the greats of the game and one whose exploits in Test cricket will be remembered for a long time.
“He was the kind of spinner who could excel in different conditions and would have been one of the greats in any era,” Allardice said.
Considered to be one of the greatest left-arm spinners to have played the game, Bedi was part of the famous Indian spin quartet alongside Erapalli Prasanna, B.S. Chandrashekar and S. Venkataraghavan that won India many matches in both home and overseas conditions in the 1970s.
Bedi, an ICC Cricket Hall of Famer, grabbed 266 wickets in 67 Tests between 1967 and 1979 with 14 five-wicket hauls. He also took seven wickets in 10 One-Day Internationals, a format that was still in its infancy when he was playing international cricket.
He also enjoyed huge success in first-class cricket, finishing with 1,560 wickets playing for various teams including Delhi and Northern Punjab in India and Northamptonshire in England.
Bedi also led India to six Test wins including in the West Indies and Australia.
During the 1975 World Cup, he returned with the figures of 12-8-6-1 against East Africa, which was the most economical spell in 60-over ODI matches.
–IANS