“We all started our career fascinated with the famed art of spin bowling by the famous four of Bishan Bedi, Erapalli Prasanna, B.S. Chandrasekhar and S. Venkatraghavan. I was privileged to be associated with him in one way or the other over the years,” says former India left-arm spinner S.L. Venkatapathi Raju, reacting to the demise of the great Bishen Singh Bedi.
“In fact, Bedi paaji was my coach when I played for India on the 1990 New Zealand tour. And, I remember Shastri (Ravi) telling me - never to look (emulate) at Bedi when bowling for no one matched him when he bowled even in the nets, we all looked so ordinary in front of him,” Raju recalled.
“He was one of those great characters of the game who never spoke anything behind about anyone. But had the grace, at the same time, to accept a point of opinion, in case of any decent debate on any cricketing issue,” the former Hyderabad captain said.
