Bishan Singh Bedi dies at 77: PM Modi, cricketers, dignitaries mourn spin legend

The cricketing world lost one of the finest exponents of spin bowling on Monday after Indian cricket legend Bishan Singh Bedi died at the age of 77 in Delhi, following a prolonged spell of illness.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former cricketers and people from all walks of life paid tributes to Bedi who played 67 Tests for India between 1966 and 1979 and was part of the famed spin quartet that also had Erapalli Prasanna, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar and Srinivas Venkataraghavan which won India many Test matches, both at home and overseas.

Here are some of the reactions:

Deeply saddened by the passing of noted cricketer Shri Bishan Singh Bedi Ji. His passion for the sport was unwavering and his exemplary bowling performances led India to numerous memorable victories. He will continue to inspire future generations of cricketers. Condolences to his…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 23, 2023

Deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Bishan Singh Bedi ji.
My condolences to the family

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) October 23, 2023

Extremely saddened by the passing of Bishan Singh Bedi ji. His immense contribution to cricket will forever be remembered. May god give strength to his family and loved ones! pic.twitter.com/zDpSd4aUp2

— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) October 23, 2023

Deeply saddened to hear about the loss of Bishan Singh Bedi Sir, a legend and a true ambassador of the sport. His contribution to Indian cricket will be remembered forever.
My heartfelt condolences to his family. pic.twitter.com/VKGb5lCEcO

— DK (@DineshKarthik) October 23, 2023

I am sorry to hear about the passing of Bishan Singh Bedi ji.
My condolences to his family and friends

— Yuzvendra Chahal (@yuzi_chahal) October 23, 2023

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also reacted to the news of Bedi's death and offered his condolences.

"Deeply saddened by the demise of the legendary spinner and former captain of the Indian cricket team Bishan Singh Bedi Ji. Bedi Ji will live in our memories not only through his contribution to the cricketing world but also as the master of crafty bowling who could weave magic on the pitch. My heartfelt condolences to his family members and his fans in this hour of grief," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday.

Deeply saddened to hear about the passing of legendary India spinner Bishan Singh Bedi.

His contributions to Indian cricket and his artistry on the field will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and the entire cricketing community.

May his… pic.twitter.com/ZrxCAtRLMr

— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) October 23, 2023

Bishan singh bedi One of our best is no more. It’s a loss to our cricketing fraternity. My deep condolences to his family.

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) October 23, 2023

Bedi was made India's Test captain in 1976, succeeding Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi.  In his third Test as captain, India chased down a target of 406 runs against West Indies at Port-of-Spain in Trinidad- a world record for the highest run-chase in the fourth innings of a Test match, at the time.

In #BishanSinghBedi’s passing away, India has lost one of her greatest sportspersons and cricket one of its most charismatic players. Bedi lived, loved, breathed cricket and always extolled the spirit of the game as paramount. He was cricket’a conscience keeper. RIP

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) October 23, 2023

Growing up our lives are moulded by the spirit, the gusto and sheer grace of people who we see and experience around us. Mr. #BishanSinghBedi was one of them. May God bless his soul & thank u Sir for teaching us so much about sports & life. You will be missed immensely. RIP

— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) October 23, 2023

Cricket has lost a legend today, but the memories and moments created by Bishan Singh Bedi ji will live on forever. My thoughts are with his family and the entire cricketing community as we mourn this profound loss.

— Sanjay Dutt (@duttsanjay) October 23, 2023

Sad to hear about the demise of one of India’s greats and an inspiration for spinners around the world #BishanSinghBedi ji. My heartfelt condolences to his family and fans. Om
Shanti pic.twitter.com/xrvIWNj2Ke

— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) October 23, 2023

Saddened at the demise of the legendary Indian cricketer Bishan Singh Bedi. The iconic left-arm spin bowler had brought home many spectacular victories for us and his name is etched in the memory of millions of his fans. A great captain and a strong personality, he is a beacon…

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) October 23, 2023

Known to call a spade a spade, Bedi was vocal about several issues surrounding the game and openly voiced his opinion on various pertinent matters, including the issue of spin great Muttiah Muralitharan's bowling action, which he did not think was legal.

Bedi is survived by his wife Anju and the couple has two children - Neha Bedi and actor Angad Bedi. Angad Bedi is married to actor Neha Dhupia.