Bishan Singh Bedi

Bishan Singh Bedi pronunciation  (born 25 September 1946) is a former 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 has voiced outspoken and forthright views on cricketing matters.

B.S. Bedi

Personal information
Full name	Bishan Singh Bedi
Born	(1946-09-25) 25 September 1946 Amritsar, Punjab, British India
Nickname	Bishu
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Slow left-arm orthodox
Role	Bowler
International information
National side	India
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
Competition Test ODI FC LA Matches 67 10 370 72 Runs scored 656 31 3,584 218 Batting average 8.98 6.20 11.37 6.81 100s/50s 0/1 0/0 0/7 0/0 Top score 50* 13 61 24* Balls bowled 21,364 590 90,315 3,686 Wickets 266 7 1,560 71 Bowling average 28.71 48.57 21.69 29.39 5 wickets in innings 14 0 106 1 10 wickets in match 1 0 20 0 Best bowling 7/98 2/44 7/5 5/30 Catches/stumpings 26/– 4/– 172/– 21/–
Source: ESPNCricinfo, 9 November 2014

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.[1] 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.

His bowling has been described as graceful, even beautiful, and full of guile and artistry.[2] He was an expert in flighting the ball, and was capable of making it hold it 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:[3]

• India vs Australia 1969–70: 21 wickets at 20.57
• India vs England 1972–73: 25 wickets at 25.28
• India in the West Indies: 18 wickets at 25.33
• India vs New Zealand 1976–77: 22 wickets at 13.18
• India vs England 1976–77: 25 wickets at 22.96
• India in Australia 1977–78: 31 wickets at 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 1978–79, also against Australia.[3] His best first class bowling was 7/5 for Delhi vs Jammu and Kashmir at New Delhi 1974–75.[3] 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.[3] His highest score of 50 not out, his only half century at Test level, was scored against New Zealand in Kanpur in 1976.[4]

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.[5] 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.

Bedi is second to Lance Gibbs in terms of maiden overs per test, 16.35 against 16.62. He has 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.[6]

He said that he has 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.[7]

Controversy

As captain of India, Bedi was involved in some controversies.

Following India's record-breaking run-chase in the 3rd Test of the 1976 series against the West Indies, the West Indies opted for an aggressive four-man fast bowler attack for the 4th Test. Bedi objected to their tactics of bowling beamers because they couldn't get Indian batsmen out, and declared the Indian first innings closed early after two players were forced to retire hurt. Subsequently, five players were absent hurt in the second innings of the match.[8]

In England's tour of India in 1976–77 he accused John Lever of using Vaseline to illegally polish the ball in the Third Test at Madras. Lever wore Vaseline strips on his forehead to keep the sweat out of his eyes; he was subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing.[3]

In November 1978, he became the first captain to concede an international cricket match. In a One Day International against Pakistan at Sahiwal, India, with 8 wickets in hand, required 23 runs from 14 balls. Bedi, however, recalled the batsmen from the crease and conceded the match in protest at the bowling of Sarfraz Nawaz who had bowled 4 bouncers in succession with not one being called wide by the umpires.[9]

Coaching

In 1990, after he had managed a tour where India had played poorly, he threatened to dump the entire team in the sea on the return journey.[10]

Opinions on modern-day cricket

See also: Throwing (cricket)

Bedi has expressed strong opinions on many aspects of modern-day cricket and has been described as "being jealous of modern day great spinners".[11] In particular, he was a vehement critic of the bowling action of Muttiah Muralitharan ("if Murali doesn't chuck, then show me how to bowl"[7]) which he bluntly referred to as cheating and likened to a javelin throw[12] and shot putting, saying that Muralitharan would "complete 1000 Test wickets but they would count as mere run-outs in my eyes".[13] He takes a very dim view of chucking, which he calls "a bigger threat than bribing and betting"[7] and claimed in 2004 that many bowlers on the subcontinent chuck, calling Muralitharan a "Sri Lankan bandit closing in on a dream artist called Shane Warne".[14] He has stated, though, that he has nothing personal against Muralitharan,[15] although Muralitharan has threatened to sue him.[16] He levelled the same criticisms against his countryman Harbhajan Singh.[17] Regarding suspect actions in cricket, he said "When a bowler is chucking, he's referred to panels and the home cricket board. Why not do the same for a wide or no-ball, then?".[11] He has accused one-day cricket, modern cricket bats and small grounds of causing a decline in classical spin bowling in India.[7]

He has also attacked Sunil Gavaskar, calling him "a destructive influence".[18] He said to Australian coach John Buchanan "Tell us, John, have you made this Australian team great, or have they made you?"[19]

More recently, Bedi has referred to T20 cricket as both "suffocating" and "the most vulgar expression of cricket".

Records

• Bedi holds 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.[20]

References

1. Trevor Bailey, Richie Benaud, Colin Cowdrey and Jim Laker, The Lord's Taverners Fifty Greatest, Heinemann-Quixote, 1983
2. D.J. Rutnagur, The Barclays World of Cricket, Willow Books 1986
3. Peter Arnold, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of World Cricket, WH Smith 1985
4. 2nd TEST: India v New Zealand at Kanpur, 18–23 November 1976
5. 3rd Test: West Indies v India at Port of Spain, 7–12 April 1976 from Cricinfo
6. Wisden – Never a cricketer of the year from Cricinfo
7. Cricinfo – 'Chucking is a bigger threat than bribing or betting'
8. "4th Test: West Indies v India at Kingston, 21–25 April 1976". Cricinfo. Retrieved 18 March 2007.
9. 3rd ODI: Pakistan v India at Sahiwal, 3 November 1978
10. Bishan Bedi from Cricinfo
11. Cricinfo – Bishan Bedi's deadly straight delivery
12. "'Chucking is a bigger threat than bribing or betting'". Cricinfo. Retrieved 18 March 2007.
13. Cricinfo – Murali considers legal action after Bedi jibe
14. Cricinfo – Home boys, Sheikhs and chucking
15. Cricinfo – 'I have nothing personal against Murali' – Bedi
16. Cricinfo – Murali threatens to sue Bedi
17. Bedi points finger at Harbhajan – Cricket – Sport – theage.com.au
18. Cricinfo – Gavaskar a 'destructive' influence – Bishan Bedi
19. Cricinfo – The malaise of bitterness
20. http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/623464.html

Sources

• Robinson, R. (1979) The Wildest Tests, Cassell Australia: Stanmore. ISBN 0 7269 7375 0.

External links

• Bishan Singh Bedi at ESPNcricinfo

Preceded by Sunil Gavaskar	Indian National Test Cricket Captain 1975–76 – 1978–79	Succeeded by Sunil Gavaskar
Preceded by -	Indian National Cricket Manager July 1990 – September 1991	Succeeded by Abbas Ali Baig