Former Indian cricket captain Ajit Wadekar passes away

Former Indian cricket team captain Ajit Wadekar passed away at the Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai on Wednesday. He will be remembered as a pioneering captain who led India to win its first overseas Test series wins in England and West Indies. He was 77 at the time of his death and is outlived by his wife Rekha, two sons and a daughter.

Wadekar led team India earned an overwhelming victory in 1971 test series against West Indies and England even so away from home.

Wadekar was energetic batsman as well as a maestro cricket player in Indian cricket in spite of having 37 Test appearances.

Ajit Wadekar scored 2,113 runs during his Test career which also included one century. He was also accredited as India's first ODI captain, even though he appeared in just two matches. He served as India's manager in the 1990s during Mohammad Azharuddin's tenure as captain and later went on to become the chairman of selectors as well.

Former Indian Captain Mohammad Azharuddin express grief on his demise, he wrote in Indian Express, “ I am shocked to hear about Wadekar Sir’s death. I wasn’t aware of his illness so this sudden news has come as a big setback for me. He was one of the finest human beings and smartest cricketers I have met. Wadekar Sir taught the Indian team how to win. As a player, he left an impact by leading India to first away series win. As a coach, he helped us become a powerhouse at home. After we lost the series in South Africa in 1992, he brought us back on track with this immense man-management skills and shrewd tactics.”

Twitter has also witnessed a shower of grief from the country’s cricket fraternity, including Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, and many others.