Bishen Singh Bedi
Bishen Singh Bedi was regarded as the greatest left-arm spinner in the history of the game. Bedi was the first Indian to capture 200 Test wickets. He was the most successful member of the quartet of slow bowlers that took India from strength to strength in the 70s.
He captained India in 22 Tests, winning six. He captured 266 Test wickets from 67 Tests at an average of 28.71. It was an Indian record until Kapil Dev surpassed it in 1985-86.
After his retirement in 1981-82, he had stints as manager and coach of the Indian team. Bishen Singh Bedi was born on September 25, 1946 in Amritsar, Punjab, India. His son Angad Bedi played for Delhi in the Domestic circuit.
The major teams that Bishan Singh Bedi represented are India, Northamptonshire, Delhi and Northern Punjab. In domestic cricket, Bedi played for Northern Punjab and captured a record 64 wickets. In County cricket, Bedi played for Northamptonshire in England for many years. He captured record 1560 wickets in the first-class cricket.
He made his International Test debut on 31 December 1966, in a 5-day match against West Indies at Eden Gardens, Calcutta. He captured two wickets in the match. He made his ODI debut on 13 July, 1974 against England at Headingley, Leeds. He captured two wickets of K.W.R. Fletcher and A.W. Greig.
Bishen Singh Bedi was one of the most popular cricketers of his time, both with the crowds, and his opponents. He was one of the great quartet of spinners who graced Indian teams of the 70’s. He was the most subtle and artistic slow left arm orthodox bowler of his generation.
Bishen Singh Bedi was outspoken and controversial cricketer. During a match against the West Indies in 1976, Bedi declared the second innings at 97 for 5 at Kingston in 1976, in protest against ‘intimidatory bowling’ by the West Indian bowlers. Former Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga took on Bishan Singh Bedi over his allegedly derogatory comments on Muttiah Muralitharan and compared him to a dog.
Upset at BCCI’s strange hostility towards the Indian Cricket League (ICL), Bishen Singh Bedi lambasted BCCI for behaving like a "dictator".
Bishen Singh Bedi played his last Test on 30 August- 4 September 1979 against England at Kinnington Oval, London. He captured three wickets in the match. He captured 266 wickets at an average of 28.71 in 67 matches played. He captured 14, 5-wicket and 1, 10-wicket hauls in his career. His highest score in Test cricket was 50* against New Zealand in Kanpur in 1976.
Bishen Singh Bedi played his last ODI in the 1979 Prudential World Cup on 16, 18 June at Old Trafford, Manchester (neutral venue) against Sri Lanka. He captured seven wickets in 10 ODIs played at an average of 48.57.
Bishen Singh Bedi played the 1975 and 1979 Cricket World Cup’s for India. He played five matches and captured two wickets at an average of 74.00.
In1981/82, Bedi retired from the game. In 1990, he was nominated as Manager and coach of the Indian team.
Achievements and Awards
- First Indian to capture 200 Test wickets.
- 1969- Arjuna award for sporting excellence by the Indian Government
- CEAT Lifetime Achievement Award’ in 2001-2002
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