When the whole country was enjoying the Independence Day, the first Indian ODI captain Ajit Wadekar passed away at the age of 77-years-old after battling long with illness.
On Wednesday, the former Indian captain was rushed to Jaslok Hospital in South Mumbai where he was declared dead on arrival. Wadekar is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.
Cricket career
Wadekar was born in Bombay (now Mumbai) on April 1, 1941. Making his international cricket debut in 1966, Wadekar had played 37 Tests and 2 ODIs. Apart from leading the national side in both ODIs that he had played in July 1974, Wadekar had also led the national side in 16 Tests.
Under his captaincy, India had won their first ever Test match on the West Indies and England soil. Moreover, earlier, he was also in the Indian playing XI when India won their first ever Test match on the New Zealand soil.
While the left-handed attacking batsman had scored a total of 73-run (average 36.50) in his short ODI career, including one half-century (67), he had also scored 2,113 runs in Test career with the average of 31.07 including the only century and 14 half-centuries.
The Bombay cricketer Wadekar had played 237 first-class games where he had scored 15,380 runs with the average of 47.03 including 36 centuries and 84 half-centuries. His highest first-class career score was 323 runs. Moreover, he had also picked up 21 wickets as a left-arm bowler.
Also, he had played 5 List A matches where he had scored 193 runs (average 64.33) including two half-centuries.
A rare feat in Indian cricket history
He was the Indian cricket team manager from September 1992 to March 1996. Later, he had also served as the Selection Committee Chairman from October 1998 to September 1999. He was one of the only three members who has represented India as a Test cricketer, captain, coach/manager and the chairman of selectors. The other two Indian cricketers who have achieved all of these feats are – Lala Amarnath and Chandu Borde.
Special Awards
The Government of India honoured him with the Arjuna Award in 1967 and Padma Shri in 1972.
