Bishan Singh Bedi facts for kids
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 25 September 1946 Amritsar, Punjab Province, British India |
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| Died | 23 October 2023 (aged 77) New Delhi, NCT of Delhi, India |
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| Nickname | Bishu | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Slow left-arm orthodox | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Bowler | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| National side |
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| Test debut (cap 113) | 31 December 1966 v West Indies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 30 August 1979 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI debut (cap 2) | 13 July 1974 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last ODI | 16 June 1979 v Sri Lanka | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1961–1967 | Northern Punjab | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1968–1981 | Delhi | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1972–1977 | Northamptonshire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: ESPNcricinfo, 9 November 2014
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Bishan Singh Bedi (25 September 1946 – 23 October 2023) was an Indian cricketer who was primarily a slow left-arm orthodox bowler. He played Test cricket for India from 1966 to 1979 and formed part of the famous Indian spin quartet. He played a total of 67 Tests and took 266 wickets. He also captained the national side in 22 Test matches. Bedi wore a colourful patka and was always known for his outspoken and forthright views on cricketing matters. He was awarded the Padma Shri award in 1970 and the C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004.
Playing career
In Indian domestic cricket, Bedi first played for Northern Punjab when only fifteen, having taken up cricket only two years previously, a particularly late age for this sport. He moved to Delhi in 1968–69 and in the 1974–75 season of the Ranji Trophy, he took a record 64 wickets. Bedi also represented Northamptonshire in English county cricket for many years. He finished his career with 1560 wickets in first-class cricket — more than any other Indian cricketer.
His bowling has been described as graceful, even beautiful, and full of guile and artistry. He was an expert in flighting the ball, and was capable of making it hold back or hurry forward and added subtle variations of spin. His action was so relaxed and coordinated that he was able to bowl all day with rhythm and control, a great asset to any captain. He had several very successful Test series:
- India vs Australia 1969–70: 21 wickets at the average of 20.57
- India vs England 1972–73: 25 wickets at the average of 25.28
- India in the West Indies 1975–1976 : 18 wickets at the average of 25.33
- India vs New Zealand 1976–77: 22 wickets at the average of 13.18
- India vs England 1976–77: 25 wickets at the average of 22.96
- India in Australia 1977–78: 31 wickets at the average of 23.87
His best Test bowling was 7/98 against Australia at Calcutta in 1969–70, and his best match figures 10/194 at Perth in 1977–78, also against Australia. His best first class bowling was 7/5 for Delhi vs Jammu and Kashmir at New Delhi 1974–75. Although his batting was poor he hit a boundary off the second last ball in the Gillette Cup Semi Final for Northamptonshire vs Hampshire, winning the match by two wickets. His highest score of 50 not out, his only half century at Test level, was scored against New Zealand in Kanpur in 1976.
Bedi was appointed captain of India in 1976, succeeding Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi. His first Test victory as captain was against the West Indies at Port-of-Spain in the 3rd Test of the 1976 series in which India scored a then-record 406 in the fourth innings. This was followed up by a 2–0 series victory over New Zealand at home. However, after successive Test series losses to England (3–1 at home), Australia (3–2 away) and Pakistan (2–0 away), he was replaced as captain by Sunil Gavaskar in 1979.
Bedi is second to Lance Gibbs in terms of maiden overs per test, 16.35 against 16.62. He bowled 4.2 maiden overs per wicket as against 4.24 by Gibbs.
In 2008, Wisden Cricketers' Almanack named Bedi as one of the five best cricketers to have not been selected as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year.
Personal life and death
Bedi was born on 25 September 1946, in Amritsar in then British India.
His son Angad Bedi (born 1983) is an Indian actor and former model, and his daughter-in-law Neha Dhupia is a well known Bollywood actress.
He said that he had always washed his own clothes, calling it "the best exercise for your shoulders and fingers", when pointing out that spin bowling requires suppleness of limbs.
Bedi died in New Delhi on 23 October 2023, at the age of 77.
Records
Bedi held the world record for the most economical bowling figures in a 60-over ODI match amongst the bowlers who had completed their quota of overs (12 overs). In the 1975 World Cup, when the bowlers were allowed to deliver 12 overs, Bedi finished with 12–8–6–1 (overs-maidens-runs-wickets) against East Africa at Headingley.
Accolades
Bedi was awarded the Padma Shri in 1970.
In 2004, Bedi, along with Bhagwat Chandrasekhar, Srinivas Venkatraghavan and Erapalli Prasanna, collectively known as the Indian spin quartet, were named as winners of the C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
