Former India captain and country's greatest ever left-arm spinner Bishan Singh Bedi died on Monday after prolonged illness. He was 77 years old and is survived by his wife Anju, son Angad and daughter Neha. (More Cricket News)
Born in Amritsar in 1946, Bedi played 67 Tests for India and took 266 wickets with 14 five wicket hauls and one 10-wicket haul.
There was an outpouring of emotions as many cricket enthusiasts took to X, formerly Twitter, to pay their respects to the legendary bowler.
Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik with his tribute, "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."
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan tweeted this, "Growing up our lives are moulded by the spirit, the gusto and sheer grace of people who we see and experience around us. Mr. #BishanSinghBedi was one of them. May God bless his soul & thank u Sir for teaching us so much about sports & life. You will be missed immensely. RIP"
Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir tweeted his tribute on Bedi, "Extremely saddened by the passing of Bishan Singh Bedi ji. His immense contribution to cricket will forever be remembered. May god give strength to his family and loved ones!"
Current Team India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin tweeted, "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."
Famous English talkshow host Piers Morgan, too paid his tribute to Bishan Singh Bedi. He wrote, "RIP Bishan Bedi, 77. One of the greatest spinners in cricket history. The Indian maestro had a beautiful action and wielded such artistic guile with those magical hands. Loved watching him bowl when I was a kid."
Legendary Indian leg-spinner Anil Kumble said, “Deeply saddened to hear the loss of Bishan Paaji. He was someone who always had my back and who genuinely shared his thoughts on the game. Cricketing fraternity will miss him dearly. Heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and loved ones.”
Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted, “Deeply saddened by the demise of the legendary spinner and former captain of the Indian cricket team Bishan Singh Bedi Ji. Bedi Ji will live in our memories not only through his contribution to the cricketing world but also as the master of crafty bowling who could weave magic on the pitch. My heartfelt condolences to his family members and his fans in this hour of grief.”
BCCI honorary secretary Jay Shah said on X, “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.”
