Chandigarh, Oct 23 (PTI) The Punjab Cricket Association on Monday mourned the demise of legendary cricketer Bishan Singh Bedi, describing him as the greatest spinner the country has produced.

In his passing away, India has lost a true icon of the game, PCA President Amarjit Singh Mehta and Honorary Secretary Dilsher Khanna said in a statement, adding his contribution to Indian cricket will be cherished forever.

The greatest left-arm spinner India has produced passed away today, they said in the statement.

Born in Punjab’s Amritsar in September 1946, Bedi was selected by Northern Punjab at the age of 15 and after playing for his home state, he moved to New Delhi and represented the capital city till his retirement, they said.

Bedi was also the coach of the 1992–93 Punjab Ranji Trophy winning team, said the PCA statement.

A national selector and mentor to spinners like Maninder Singh and Murali Kartik, Bedi was known for his technical insights and was a strong advocate for the rights of players taking up issues with the cricket board establishment, the PCA said.

Former chairman of BCCI’s Grounds and Pitches Committee, Daljit Singh also paid rich tributes to Bedi.

      “Apart from being a player and a captain, he contributed a lot to Indian cricket. As a coach, as a mentor he helped a lot of young players grow up,” Singh told PTI.

“He believed in hardwork and fitness. He was very passionate about Indian cricket,” said Singh, who has also been a first class player and a coach.

Daljit Singh played for four states. “And my cricket spread over 19 years of Ranji Trophy. In the 1960s and 70s, I played against him, with him,” he said.

Bedi, who played 67 Tests between 1967 to 1979 and took 266 wickets, died at his home in Delhi after a prolonged illness. He was 77 and is survived by his wife Anju, son Angad and daughter Neha.

Bedi was a part of Indian cricket’s golden quartet of spinners, the others being Erapalli Prasanna, Bhagwat Chadrasekhar and Srinivas Venkataraghavan, who formed the core of India’s bowling unit for more than a decade between 1966 and 1978.

Source: PTI News