Spinning a chat: Bedi with Chandrasekhar, Venkatraghavan and Prasanna.
| Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES
To be in the presence of Bishan Singh Bedi is to know what heat affection is, what righteous anger may very well be and to additionally recognise that sport is a component of a bigger life. The iconic left-arm spinner, who breathed his final in Delhi on Monday, was not simply a cricketer, he had different shades too that ranged from thinker to being a sharp observer of the nation’s politics.
As a nice left-arm spinner, he gently lured batters to their doom and his words always had the depth of a life effectively lived and the world acutely observed.
In his 77 summers, with the prime years devoted to cricket, as a participant, coach, administrator and observer, Bedi gained immense stature. He had a larger-than-life presence, a snigger that reverberated from his stomach earlier than rising from his mouth and black-humour was always a fixed accompaniment.
Part of the well-known spin-quartet, he was the first amongst equals regardless of the beneficiant method during which he always gave credit score to Erapalli Prasanna, B.S. Chandrasekhar and S. Venkataraghavan. His numbers — 266 Test wickets and 1560 First Class scalps — are staggering.
An motion that was simple on the eye and one which held many unfathomable secrets and techniques for befuddled rivals, adopted by a twinkle in his eye and the propensity to guffaw remained the everlasting mix of a tremendous skilled soaked in the beginner spirit.
Playing for India or plying his commerce in English Counties, Bedi discovered everlasting friendships. One such was with Pakistan’s Intikhab Alam, now a distraught pal battling grief. Bedi remained a man of the world and information had to be shared, be it with Anil Kumble, Shane Warne, Monty Panesar or Sunil Joshi. Not for Bedi the inflexible boundaries of hyper-nationalism or regionalism.
Bedi may very well be affectionate and abrasive, he held no punches again however he cared deeply.
Keeping an eye fixed on a younger Kapil Dev, later Sachin Tendulkar or Kumble, Bedi was always invested in cricket.
“Hello young man,” can be his hearty greeting earlier than a pithy statement, about a match in progress or a world in disaster, emerged. Much like the nice Michael Holding, Bedi had a broad perspective.
He by no means believed in monopolies and most popular nuance. Ever the contrarian with a good coronary heart, Bedi spoke his thoughts about the BCCI or the native Delhi District Cricket Association. Not for him the uninteresting phrase or the masks of political-correctness. His departure leaves the world poorer.
