Indian cricket lost one its stalwarts on Monday as former captain and legendary spinner Bishan Singh Bedi died at 77. Widely regarded as one of the best left-arm spinners to have played the game, Bedi picked up 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. From current superstars Virat Kohli and R Ashwin to former captains Sachin Tendulkar and Mithali Raj, tributes poured in for Bedi from the cricketing community. "Sashu," he'd say with warmth that only he possessed. To Bishan Paaji, I wasn't just another cricketer; I was like a son. Under his nurturing guidance, I scored my first 100 in England. On chilly NZ evenings, we'd sit over meals, and I'd hang on to every story he told, every piece of wisdom he shared. Today, there's an echoing silence where his voice used to be. The world seems a little emptier without you, Paaji. Rest in the eternal peace you so deserve”: Former India captain Sachin Tendulkar "Sashu," he'd say with warmth that only he possessed. To Bishan Paaji, I wasn't just another cricketer; I was like a son. Under his nurturing guidance, I scored my first 100 in England. On chilly NZ evenings, we'd sit over meals, and I'd hang on to every story he told, every… pic.twitter.com/z0ahschCvp— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) October 23, 2023 “Deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Bishan Singh Bedi ji. My condolences to the family”: Indian superstar Virat Kohli Deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Bishan Singh Bedi ji.My condolences to the family 🙏🏽— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) October 23, 2023 “He’d not hesitate to pick up the phone and call me, either complimenting me on a good performance or offering suggestions and advice. He always had a cricketing point to drive home, it was wonderful to have had so many conversations about the game with him”: Former India captain Anil Kumble Excerpts from what I had written on Bishan paaji's 75th birthday:In 1990, before the England tour, we had a camp in Bengaluru, and it was there that I had the first experience of Bishan paaji’s big heart and generosity.I had requested him if it would be possible for the… pic.twitter.com/zuA3SwCHEf— Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) October 23, 2023 “Sad to hear about the demise of the great Bishen Singh Bedi, apart from being a great cricketer, he was an affable person and went the extra mile to help young cricketers”: India spinner Ashwin Ravichandran Sad to hear about the demise of the great Bishen Singh Bedi, apart from being a great cricketer, he was an affable person and went the extra mile to help young cricketers. 🙏🙏🙏— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) October 23, 2023 “Saddened to hear of the passing of the legendary Bishan Singh Bedi. Many of my predecessors in the Caribbean spoke of his guile and skill as a bowler and competitor in reverential tones”: Former West Indies pacer and broadcaster Ian Bishop Saddened to hear of the passing of the legendary Bishan Singh Bedi. Many of my predecessors in the Caribbean spoke of his guile and skill as a bowler and competitor in reverential tones.— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) October 23, 2023 “A genuine cricketing great, a proud Indian and a pure cricket lover moves on. The death of Bishan Bedi makes it a very sad day for India and for cricket. He was always encouraging and I will miss his easy laughter. So many memories coming back. Such a sad day for our game.”: Broadcaster Harsha Bhogle A genuine cricketing great, a proud Indian and a pure cricket lover moves on. The death of Bishan Bedi makes it a very sad day for India and for cricket. He was always encouraging and I will miss his easy laughter.— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 23, 2023 Sad to hear the demise of Shri Bishan Singh Bedi. Indian Cricket has lost an icon today. Bedi Sir defined an era of cricket and he left an indelible mark on the game with his artistry as a spin bowler and his impeccable character. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time”: BCCI secretary Jay Shah Sad to hear the demise of Shri Bishan Singh Bedi. Indian Cricket has lost an icon today. Bedi Sir defined an era of cricket and he left an indelible mark on the game with his artistry as a spin bowler and his impeccable character. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and…— Jay Shah (@JayShah) October 23, 2023 “A teacher, a guide, a friend, a legend, a great man- Bishan Singh Bedi. RIP sir”: Former India captain Anjum Chopra A teacher, a guide, a friend, a legend, a great man- Bishan Singh Bedi. #RIP sir 🙏— Anjum Chopra (@chopraanjum) October 23, 2023 “The 'Sardar of Spin' is no more. Saddened by the news of Shri Bishan Singh Bedi ji passing away. He'll always be among the best bowlers to have represented India. My condolences to his family and friends. Om Shanti”: Former India captain Mithali Raj The 'Sardar of Spin' is no more. Saddened by the news of Shri Bishan Singh Bedi ji passing away. He'll always be among the best bowlers to have represented India. My condolences to his family and friends. Om Shanti. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/guGRBynwTR— Mithali Raj (@M_Raj03) October 23, 2023 Deeply saddened to hear about the loss of Bishan Singh Bedi Sir, a legend and a true ambassador of the sport. His contribution to Indian cricket will be remembered forever. My heartfelt condolences to his family. Deeply saddened to hear about the loss of Bishan Singh Bedi Sir, a legend and a true ambassador of the sport. His contribution to Indian cricket will be remembered forever. My heartfelt condolences to his family. pic.twitter.com/VKGb5lCEcO— DK (@DineshKarthik) October 23, 2023 “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”: ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice While commentating during the Pakistan vs Afghanistan World Cup match in Chennai, former cricketers Matthew Hayden, Michael Atherton and Waqar Younis were among those to mourn the loss of the star spinner, who was known for his guile and control. “I am from Brisbane and didn’t know anything about spin bowling. This was the ground. I walked in and saw Mr Bedi talking about spin. He literally told me how to bat against spin. After Allan Border if anyone has played a big role in my career it was Bishan Bedi,” Hayden recalled his interactions. The Aussie opener who made a massive impact with the bat on his tours to India, spoke about how Bedi had a glint in his eye while speaking about cricket, and he was in love with the game. Former Pakistan captain Waqar Younis said, “It is not just a loss for Indian cricket, it’s a loss for world cricket.” Speaking to the Indian Express, former Pakistan captain Intikhab Alam said: “Who will call me every then and now in the evening and will request me to sing a Louis Armstrong song? Who will give me compliments about my singing? Who will pull my leg about some of my random dismissals during my playing day? I am heartbroken. I have lost a part of my heart today. I can’t express in words how I am feeling. I have lost a friend, a younger brother.”
