Former Indian captain and legendary spinner Bishan Singh Bedi’s last rites were solemnly conducted at the Lodhi Crematorium ground, here on Tuesday.
The spin legend died at the age of 77 at his farmhouse in Jaunapur, near here, on Monday after battling a prolonged illness.
In a touching display of respect, a multitude of former cricketers, each bearing their indelible mark on the sport, gathered at the crematorium to pay their heartfelt tributes to the departed soul.
Among the distinguished attendees were the legendary former captain, Kapil Dev, as well as former chief selector Chetan Sharma, Ashish Nehra, Virendra Sehwag, Zaheer Khan, Saba Kareem, Maninder Singh, Kirti Azad, and Madan Lal, to name but a few.
His son Angad performed the last rites as a large gathering paid its tributes to the greatest left-arm spinner cricket world has ever seen.
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. He was a pivotal member of India’s celebrated spin quartet.
With an astounding 1560 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.
Post-retirement, he coached the Ranji teams of Delhi and Punjab and briefly served as Manager of the senior national team and was also a national selector.
