‘I feel lucky that I could play with him’, says Prasanna after Bishan Bedi passes away

An previous, greyscale image of Bishan Singh Bedi having fun with fun with Erapalli Prasanna makes for the latter’s profile image on WhatsApp.

The two have been buddies and colleagues for greater than 5 many years and have been a part of the long-lasting Indian spin quartet — together with BS Chandrasekhar and Srinivas Venkataraghavan.

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On Monday, with Bedi’s demise, that ‘strong partnership’ ended and Prasanna misplaced his good pal — who, over time, taught him lots of issues.

“We have been together since the 1967 New Zealand tour. It has been a long, long association,” an emotional Prasanna advised  Sportstar.

A champion left-arm spinner, Bedi featured in 67 Tests for India — between 1967 and 1979 — and claimed 266 wickets. He additionally performed 10 ODIs, with a wicket tally of seven. But Bedi’s influence on Indian cricket went past his function as a spinner and captain.

He was also known as ‘poetry in motion’ by cricket romantics throughout the globe and he dominated the circuit, alongside along with his three spin companions. A no-nonsense cricketer, each on and off the pitch, his teammates additionally bear in mind Bedi for his humour.

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“He was such a gentleman and what he has done to Indian cricket, not many could do — as a captain, as a mentor, as a selector. It is a great loss to Indian and international cricket,” Prasanna mentioned.

“As far as I am concerned, I don’t know what to say because I am shocked. I cannot imagine him not being there anymore. He’s one of the greatest left-arm spinners I have played with and I have learned a lot from his bowling…”

Back within the day, when pitches have been totally different and the sport had its personal challenges, Bedi taught ‘a whole lot of things’ to his spin companions, particularly Prasanna.

“A whole lot of credit goes to him for whatever I have done so far,” he mentioned. “I learned how to flight the ball, how to hold the ball — all these things…”

Under former captain Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, the long-lasting quartet led India to a few of the historic wins — together with India’s first-ever Test sequence win, in New Zealand, and sequence wins in England.

“Thanks to Pataudi, as he’s the one who brought the four guys together during his captaincy. He made us a force to reckon with, and the sheet anchor was definitely Bishan,” Prasanna mentioned.

Having watched generations of spinners after Bedi, Prasanna nonetheless charges him as the last word. “Even today, he’s probably one of the most elegant, attractive bowling actions I have seen..

Bishan Singh Bedi passes away: A life in pictures

“Even English cricketers like Mike Brearley admire him not just because of his bowling, but also for his bowling action, run-up. English spectators, too, remember him,” Prasanna mentioned, including, “I feel lucky that I could play along with him…”

While Prasanna struggles to come back to phrases with Bedi’s demise, former India worldwide Chandu Borde remembers the time when he led India Prime Minister’s XI in a four-day match in opposition to the West Indians on the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi in December, 1966 — only a week earlier than Bedi made his Test debut.

In that sport, Bedi claimed six wickets within the first essay, adopted by a solitary scalp within the second innings.

“He was the best left-arm spinner that I have played during my time,” Borde mentioned.

Having performed collectively for years, Borde would usually pull Bedi’s legs.

“There were times when I would tease him by saying — ‘Bishan with brains’. He had an excellent command over his line, length and flight. He had a very easy action and he was one of the no-nonsense cricketers I have come across,” Borde mentioned.

“He was one of the straight-forward cricketers who could say something in our face. If he felt something was not right, he could just walk up to anyone — be it the players or officials — and speak his mind…”

Borde and Bedi would name one another on their birthdays, however over the previous few years, with age catching up, the 89-year-old Borde forgot ‘Bishan’s Birthday’.

“It’s so sad to hear that he is no more. We lost a good friend and a great colleague,” Borde mentioned, earlier than including, “But our memories will remain forever…”