New Delhi, Aug 16: A man who didn’t just shape careers but also touched lives — Ajit Wadekar meant many things to the many cricketers he played with and led, mentored as a manager and moulded as a selector.
Wadekar, the first captain to lead India to Test series wins in England and the West Indies, passed away at 77 in Mumbai yesterday after prolonged illness.
The death was described as a massive loss by India’s top cricketers, including the likes of Mohammed Azharuddin and Anil Kumble, who worked closely with Wadekar during his tenure as manager. The duo called him a “father figure”.
Sachin Tendulkar described the former India captain as a big “influence”.
“Deeply saddened to hear about the demise of Ajit Wadekar Sir. He was someone who was instrumental in bringing out the best in us during the 90s. We’ll always be grateful for his advice and guidance. Praying for strength for his family during this difficult time,” Tendulkar wrote on his twitter page.
Manager Wadekar had an instrumental role to play in making Tendulkar an opener, a position in which he flourished.
It was also under Wadekar that Azharuddin, who was till then a struggling captain after Test series losses in New Zealand, England and Australia, got a second wind from 1993 to 1996.
“such an iconic person..Deeply saddened by his demise!! Sir was a father figure for me.. May his soul rest in peace! My Heartfelt Condolences to the family,” Azharuddin wrote on his twitter page.
For Kumble, Wadekar was a God-sent after he was dropped following the 1990 tour of England.
His comeback coincided with Wadekar’s entry as manager during the 1992-93 tour of South Africa. He was never dropped during the next 16 years till his retirement in 2008.
“Deeply saddened by the passing away of #AjitWadekar He was more than a coach to the entire team – a father figure and a shrewd tactician. My heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones. He will be missed. Thank you Sir for the confidence shown in my ability!” wrote Kumble.
For Sanjay Manjrekar, Wadekar was a “tough character” as coach.
Manjrekar tweeted a video of Wadekar in cricket gear one last time during an undated charity match at the Shivaji Park Gymkhana in Mumbai.
“Ajit Wadekar’s impact on Indian cricket is immense. His contemporaries worshipped him, such was his aura. Found him to be a tough character as coach. Exceptional Indian cricketer… RIP Sir.”
The legendary Bishan Singh Bedi was magnanimous in his praise even though he conceded that they had difference of opinion on cricketing issues.
“V sad news-Ajit Wadekar passing away-only Indn Capt to win 3 series in a row-2 away 1 at home-ALW was good contemporary-we had differences of (sic) opinion but always respected glory of (sic) Crkt-fine batsman & great close in catch-served Indn Crkt w/aplomb as player/Selectr/Coach-RIP Jeetu!”.
Also calling him a father figure was Vinod Kambli, who was part of the 1996 Indian World Cup team.
“He was like my father and was there with me when I started playing Test matches. I had a very different kind of relation with him. We spent time discussing cricket and other aspects of life,” Kambli told PTI.
“He showed a lot of confidence and interest in me. Me and Sachin used to spend lot of time with him and it’s a big, big loss for us. He was a pillar in my career,” he added.
Ranji stalwart Milind Rege recalled the time spent playing with him and how he treated team members as a family.
“He was not just a great captain but also a tremendous human being. He treated all of us like we were his family. Ajit never got upset with anybody, not even once and that was his greatness. He was the captain you wanted to perform for” he said.
“It’s a huge personal loss for me,” he added.
Former chairman of selectors Chandu Borde said he was taken aback to hear the news of Wadekar’s demise.
“We were very good friends and were in touch with each other and shared a lot of good moments. It was always memorable to watch him bat as he was a very attractive players,” he said. PTI
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