“May his soul rest in peace” – Mohammad Azharuddin, Gautam Gambhir led cricket fraternity mourns Bishan Singh Bedi's demise
Former India captain Bishan Singh Bedi passed away at the age of 77 on Monday, October 23.
The spin legend finished his career with 1560 wickets in 370 matches - the most among Indians. The Amristar-born cricketer represented India in 67 Tests from 1967 to 1979, bagging 266 wickets. He also scalped seven wickets in 10 ODIs.
As skipper, Bedi led India in 22 Tests. He was honored with the Padma Shri (India’s fourth-highest civilian award) in 1970. Apart from Indian cricket, he played for Northamptonshire in county cricket.
Announcing the news, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter):
“The BCCI mourns the sad demise of former India Test Captain and legendary spinner, Bishan Singh Bedi. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and fans in these tough times. May his soul rest in peace.”
Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin wrote on X:
"I’m sorry to hear about Bishan Singh Bedi sir’s passing away. Sending my heartfelt condolences to his family. May his soul rest in peace."
Here are some more reactions:
Here are some other reactions from celebrities and political figures:
"His artistry on the field will always be remembered" - Anurag Thakur condoles Bishan Singh Bedi's demise
Sports Minister Anurag Thakur condoled the legend’s demise by calling him an artist who will be remembered for his contribution to Indian cricket. He shared a post on X that read:
"Deeply saddened to hear about the passing of legendary India spinner Bishan Singh Bedi. His contributions to Indian cricket and his artistry on the field will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and the entire cricketing community. May his soul rest in peace."
Thakur earlier broke the news of Bedi’s loss. He said, as quoted by ANI:
"Former India captain and spinner Bishan Singh Bedi has passed away. It is a very sad news. It's a huge loss for India. He started so many camps in Himachal. I and the whole cricketing family stand with his family."
Bedi is survived by his son and Bollywood actor Angad Bedi, who was last seen in Ghoomer - a sports drama.