Former Goa Ranji cricketer Rajesh Ghodge passed away on Sunday (13 January) afternoon after suffering a heart attack when he was playing a local cricket match. The 47-year-old was also a member of the Goa Cricket Association (GCA) Ranji Trophy Selection Committee.

According to some media reports, on Sunday afternoon, when Ghodge was playing a local cricket match in Margao town in South Goa, he suffered a heart attack and collapsed on the field.

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Apoorv Bhembre, the secretary of the Margao Cricket Club that had organised the tournament, told IANS over the phone that Ghodge already scored 30 runs and he was at the non-striker end when he collapsed.

The club official further added that Ghodge was rushed to the nearby ESI hospital and later he was shifted to a private health facility in Margao town – 30km south of Panaji. At there, Ghodge was declared dead.

The right-handed batsman Ghodge had played two Ranji Trophy matches for Goa in 1999/2000. He had also played eight List A matches while his final List A game was in 2005. Ghodge was the joint secretary of Margao Cricket Club and he was the regular active cricketer. Talking about the disheartened incident on Sunday afternoon, Bhembre claimed that they are completely shocked.

The secretary of the club said according to India Today, “He used to play cricket almost everyday. We are completely shocked with what has happened today (Sunday).”

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Ghodge was also a member of the GCA Ranji Trophy selection Committee from 2015 to 2018.

According to GCA website, GCA President Suraj Lotlikar quoted, “Cricket in Goa has lost a great person. Ghodge was always there to help in any way he could and his loss is a great loss for cricket in Goa.”

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Meanwhile, GCA Secretary Daya Pagi stated, “Cricket was Ghodge’s first love. He would do anything for cricket. Time or place were never problems for Ghodge when it came to do something for cricket. GCA has lost a person who tirelessly worked to improve cricket in Goa.”

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The GCA Executive Committee had the condolence message, “We have lost a friend of cricket.”