Former India captain Ajit Wadekar, the man who led India to their first overseas wins in West Indies and England in 1971, died on Wednesday in Mumbai. He was 77.
Wadekar breathed his last at the Jaslok Hospital in South Mumbai.
Wadekar was the captain of the Indian team that won a Test series against the West Indies in their own backyard and followed that up with the first ever Test series win in England – both in the same year, 1971. He was also the captain of the first ever ODI India played, in 1974 against England in Leeds. Wadekar was also known for his brilliance as a fielder.
(Read more: ‘You will be missed, dear captain’: Tributes pour in for Ajit Wadekar)
He later served as the manager of Indian cricket team. He is one of the few Indians to represent the country as Test player, captain, coach/manager and the chairman of selectors.
An elegenat left-handed batsman, Wadekar was born on April 1, 1941 in Mumbai. He played 37 Test matches for India, scoring 2113 runs at an average of 31.07.
He made his debut for India in a Test match against West Indies at the Brabourne Stadium in 1966. He made his first-class debut in 1958-59 for Mumbai, going on to play 237 matches.
“Mr. Ajit Wadekar was declared dead on arrival at Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre. He had been critically unwell for sometime and was seeking treatment for the same,” an official statement from the Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre, said.
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