Bishen Singh Bedi, one of the greatest spinners in the history of cricket, died at the age of 77 on Monday. He was a part of the famous Indian spin quartet that dominated world cricket in the 1960s and 1970s, along with Erapalli Prasanna, BS Chandrasekhar, and S. Venkataraghavan. He played 67 Tests for India, taking 266 wickets at an average of 28.71. He also captained India in 22 Tests, leading them to their first series win in England in 1971.
Bedi was born in Amritsar, Punjab on September 25, 1946. He started playing cricket at the age of 13 and made his first-class debut for Northern Punjab at the age of 15. He moved to Delhi in 1968 and played for them until his retirement in 1981. He also had a successful stint with Northamptonshire in English county cricket, where he took 793 wickets in 10 seasons.
Bedi made his Test debut against West Indies in Kolkata in 1966. He soon established himself as a master of left-arm orthodox spin, with a smooth and elegant action that was a delight to watch. He had exceptional control over line, length, flight, and spin, and could deceive batsmen with subtle variations. He was also a fierce competitor and a vocal advocate of fair play and sportsmanship.
Some of his memorable performances include:
- Taking 7/98 against Australia in Kolkata in 1969-70, his best Test bowling figures.
- Taking 10/194 against Australia in Perth in 1977-78, his only ten-wicket haul in Tests.
- Taking 6/226 against West Indies in Chennai in 1974-75, bowling 64 overs in an innings.
- Taking 5/63 against England in Delhi in 1972-73, helping India win by six wickets.
- Taking 4/38 against Pakistan in Lahore in 1978-79, his last Test match.
Bedi was also a handy lower-order batsman, who scored one Test fifty and seven first-class hundreds. He holds the record for the most number of ducks (43) by an Indian player in Tests. He was also a fine fielder, especially in the slips, where he took 26 catches.
Bedi was honoured with the Padma Shri award in 1970 and the C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. He was also inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009.
After retiring from cricket, Bedi remained active as a coach, mentor, commentator, writer, and administrator. He was known for his outspoken and forthright views on various cricketing matters, often criticising the modern trends of sledging, doosra, chucking, and T20 cricket. He was also involved in several controversies, such as resigning from the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) over alleged corruption and nepotism, and removing his name from a stand at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium over the installation of a statue of former DDCA president Arun Jaitley.
Bedi is survived by his wife Glenith and three children: Angad (a Bollywood actor), Neha (a journalist), and Gavasinder (a banker). His death has left a huge void in the cricketing fraternity, who have paid rich tributes to him on social media and other platforms.
Bishen Singh Bedi will always be remembered as one of the finest exponents of spin bowling and one of the most respected figures in Indian cricket. His legacy will inspire generations of cricketers to come. Rest in peace, Bishu!