"He was my first captain...brought togetherness to the team": Syed Kirmani condoles Bishan Singh Bedi's demise
Oct 23, 2023
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 23 : Former Indian cricketer Syed Kirmani on Monday condoled the demise of legendary India spinner Bishan Singh Bedi and said the late cricketer fostered team spirit.
Regarded as one of the greatest left-arm spinners in world cricket, Bishan Singh Bedi, 77, passed away on Monday in Delhi.
The legendary India spinner was known for his classical beauty of motion and ability to maintain a precise length over lengthy intervals while delicately altering his pace, trajectory, and release. At the time of his retirement, he was India's leading Test wicket-taker, with 266 wickets at an average of 28.71.
"It is very sad news... He was my first captain. Under his captaincy, I made my debut in New Zealand. A very noble and understanding captain who brought togetherness to the team and team spirit. I considered him one of the three geniuses who gave me the wicket-keeping standards. I was very fortunate to have had three most legendary spinners in the world. Nobody has come anywhere near them at all. He was very instrumental in getting the team together," Syed Kirmani told ANI.
Kirmani also offered his heartfelt condolences to Bishan Singh Bedi's family.
"He has done a lot for Indian cricket as a captain, as a coach, and also as an administrator... It's a huge loss to the entire cricket fraternity. My heartfelt condolences to his family," he added.
Former Indian cricketer Arshad Ayub told ANI that Bishan Singh Bedi was one of the "most successful left-arm spinners" for India and his contribution to cricket is unmeasurable.
Bishan Singh Bedi featured in 67 Tests for India between 1967 and 1979. He also took seven wickets in 10 One-Day Internationals.
"He had been one of the most successful left-arm spinners for India. He did quite well for India and was a great contributor to Indian cricket. He had his own method of doing things. A great mentor for a lot of youngsters, his contribution to cricket is unmeasurable. He was a great asset to Indian cricket," Arshad Ayub said.
