Former Indian all-rounder Abid Ali passed away at the age of 83 on March 12. He played 29 Test matches for India and was widely known for his exceptional fielding presence.
Born in Hyderabad, Abid made his debut for the Indian team in 1967 against Australia in Adelaide. He impressively returned with figures of 6 for 55 in his debut innings, marking his career-best performance. As an all-rounder, he also made his mark with the bat, scoring 78 and 81 runs in the same Test match held in Sydney. It was a memorable outing for Ali during his Test debut series in Australia. Following that, he became a regular member of the Test team and went on to represent India in 29 Test matches.
Abid Ali was one of the most versatile batters of his era; he opened the batting and also bowled for India in various Test matches when needed.
ADVERTISEMENT
Loading...
In his career, Syed Abid Ali played only 5 One Day Internationals (ODIs), three of which were World Cup matches. His best score in ODI format was 70 runs off 90 balls in his final ODI against New Zealand. His first-class cricket statistics include 397 wickets and 8,732 runs in 212 matches, with a career-best score of 173 not out. These stats reflect his prowess as one of the finest all-rounders of that generation.
Former Indian cricketer and commentator Sunil Gavaskar shared a condolence note for Abid Ali, describing him as a “complete cricketer.”
"Very sad news, he was a lion-hearted cricketer who did anything the team needed. Despite being an all-rounder who batted in the middle order, he opened the batting when needed. Took some incredible catches in the leg side cordon adding an even sharper edge to our wonderful spin quartet," Sunil Gavaskar said.
"As a new ball bowler, he has the unique record of getting a wicket with the first ball of a Test match twice if memory serves me right. He loved the tip and run and when promoted up the order in my debut Test match, this tactic resulted in some overthrows which reduced the pressure considerably. He was a thorough gentleman with impeccable manners who spoke professorially. Heartfelt condolences to his family," he added.
ADVERTISEMENT
Loading...
When Syed Abid Ali Let Sunil Gavaskar Complete the Famous Win
Abid Ali is famously remembered for being the batter at the crease when India achieved historic Test wins at Port of Spain and The Oval in 1971, one of the golden years of Indian cricket. In the first match, he allowed debutant Gavaskar to score the winning hit, while in the second match, he struck the winning boundary himself.
