Former India and Tamil Nadu opener VB Chandrasekhar passed away in Chennai on Thursday. He was 57.

Multiple reports said that the swashbuckling openers suffered a cardiac arrest.

Chandrasekhar was a key member of the Tamil Nadu team that won the state’s second Ranji Trophy title in 1987-88. He is also fondly remembered for a sparkling 56-ball century in the Irani Trophy against Rest of India in 1988. Chandrasekhar’s first-class career spanned 11 seasons and 81 matches during which he scored 4999 runs at an average of 43.09.

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For India, he played seven One-Day Internationals, finishing with a top score of 53.

“It’s an absolute shock for me,” former India opener K Srikkanth told the Hindu. “I cannot believe it. He was an outstanding attacking batsman. It’s unfortunate that he did not play for more for India.”

Chandrasekhar remained active after his playing career, serving stints as a national selector and manager with Chennai Super Kings in the early days of the franchise. He was also a commentator, most recently a regular in the Tamil broadcast of Star Sports.

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Chandrasekhar made his first-class debut at the age of 25 and played in a formidable Tamil Nadu team, which comprised WV Raman, Diwakar Vasu, Laxman Sivaramakrishnan and Bharath Arun.

Till a few seasons back, he held the record for the fastest hundred in domestic cricket, the aforementioned knock that brought him into national reckoning.

An astute reader of the game, he was later a national selector when Greg Chappell was the coach.

“I have done two years of commentary with him and I can vouch that I became better simply interacting with him. His game reading, grip on technical aspects was mind blowing and it is memory I would always cherish,” former India stumper Deep Dasgupta told PTI.

“His passion was unmatched and I know he used to spend a lot from his own pocket in a running a team in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) known as VB Kanchi Veerans. It will take some time for this tragic news to sink in,” said Dasgupta.