Prominent cricket figure DJ Gokulakrishnan, a former player, coach, and BCCI match referee, tragically passed away after suffering a heart attack on Wednesday, October 11. Gokulakrishnan, who had an extensive cricket career, both as a player and a cricket official, was associated with various domestic and IPL cricket teams.
He played for Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Goa in the domestic circuit over a span of 12 years. Subsequently, he transitioned into the role of a match referee for the BCCI, overseeing tournaments like the Ranji Trophy, the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and the Tamil Nadu Premier League. Later in his career, he took up coaching roles and served as an assistant coach for the Tamil Nadu cricket team in two separate stints. Most recently, he was a talent scout for the IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
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Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin, who also hails from Tamil Nadu and has represented CSK in the IPL, paid his respects to Gokulakrishnan in a heartfelt Instagram story. Ashwin described him as a “wonderful person” and shared cherished memories from their time together on Tamil Nadu Ranji team tours. He also highlighted the profound impact Gokulakrishnan had on his career as his first bowling coach.
Ravichandran Ashwin’s Instagram story read, “GKS was a wonderful person, and all those lovely moments we shared on tours with the TN Ranji team are something that will remain a memory with me. He was the first person I would run to when I had a bad day.”
The 37-year-old cricketer expressed his shock at the untimely loss of DJ Gokulakrishnan and offered his condolences to Gokulakrishnan’s family, particularly mentioning JR Madanagopal.
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Chennai Super Kings (CSK), the Indian Premier League franchise, also released a statement mourning the passing of DJ Gokulakrishnan. They extended their gratitude for his valuable contributions to the cricketing community. Numerous former and current cricketers from Tamil Nadu shared their heartfelt condolences and expressed their sympathies for the bereaved family, highlighting the significant role Gokulakrishnan played in their cricketing journeys.
