Bishan Singh Bedi

Infobox Cricketer


nationality = Indian
country = India
country abbrev = IND
name = Bishan Singh Bedi
picture = Cricket_no_pic.pngbatting style = Right-hand bat
bowling style = Slow left-arm orthodox
balls = true
tests = 67
test runs = 656
test bat avg = 8.98
test 100s/50s = -/1
test top score = 50*
test overs = 21364
test wickets = 266
test bowl avg = 28.71
test 5s = 14
test 10s = 1
test best bowling = 7/98
test catches/stumpings = 26/-
ODIs = 10
ODI runs = 31
ODI bat avg = 6.20
ODI 100s/50s = -/-
ODI top score = 13
ODI overs = 590
ODI wickets = 7
ODI bowl avg = 48.57
ODI 5s = -
ODI 10s = -
ODI best bowling = 2/44
ODI catches/stumpings = 4/-
date= 4 February
year = 2006
source = http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/26875.html

Bishan Singh Bedi audio|Bishan_Singh_Bedi.ogg|pronunciation (sometimes spelt as Bishen Singh Bedi) born 25 September 1946 in Amritsar, is an Indian former cricketer who specialised in slow left-arm orthodox bowling. He played Test cricket for India and formed part of the famous Indian spin quartet. He also captained the national side in 22 Test matches. Bedi is known for being outspoken and forthright in his views on cricketing matters.

Playing career

As captain of India, Bedi's personality inevitably led to some controversies. One famous controversy occurred during a Test match against the West Indies in 1976 when he objected to the intimidatory tactics of the West Indian fast bowlers 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. [cite web | url=http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1970S/1975-76/IND_IN_WI/IND_WI_T4_21-25APR1976.html | title= 4th Test: West Indies v India at Kingston, 21-25 April 1976 | publisher=Cricinfo | accessdate=2007-03-18]

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, only 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. [ [http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1970S/1978-79/IND_IN_PAK/IND_PAK_ODI3_03NOV1978.html 3rd ODI: Pakistan v India at Sahiwal, 3 Nov 1978 ] ]

In Indian domestic cricket, Bedi first played for Northern Punjab and then later for Delhi. 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.

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 [ [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/srilanka/content/story/225767.html Cricinfo - 'Chucking is a bigger threat than bribing or betting' ] ]

His highest score of 50 not out, his only half century at Test Level, was scored against New Zealand in Kanpur in 1976 [ [http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1970S/1976-77/NZ_IN_IND/NZ_IND_T2_18-23NOV1976.html 2nd TEST: India v New Zealand at Kanpur, 18-23 Nov 1976 ] ]

Coaching

In 1990, he had a brief stint as coach of the Indian national team. He was the first person to be appointed to this job in a full-time capacity. Following one cricket tour where India had played poorly, he famously threatened to dump the entire team in the Pacific on the return journey.Fact|date=February 2008

Opinions on modern day cricket

Bedi has expressed strong opinions on many aspects of modern day cricket and has been described as "rarely afraid to speak his mind" [ [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/srilanka/content/story/111053.html Cricinfo - Bishan Bedi's deadly straight delivery ] ] . In particular, he is a vehement critic of the bowling action of Muttiah Muralitharan ("if Murali doesn't chuck, then show me how to bowl" [ [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/srilanka/content/story/225767.html Cricinfo - 'Chucking is a bigger threat than bribing or betting' ] ] ) which he bluntly refers to as cheating and likens to a javelin throw [cite web | url=http://www.cricinfo.com/india/content/story/225767.html | title='Chucking is a bigger threat than bribing or betting' | publisher=Cricinfo | accessdate=2007-03-18] and more recently, shot putting, saying the Muralitharan "will complete 1000 Test wickets but they would count as mere run-outs in my eyes" [ [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/srilanka/content/current/story/306935.html Cricinfo - Murali considers legal action after Bedi jibe ] ] . He takes a very dim view of chucking, which he calls "a bigger threat than bribing and betting" [ [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/srilanka/content/story/225767.html Cricinfo - 'Chucking is a bigger threat than bribing or betting' ] ] 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" [ [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/srilanka/content/story/140197.html Cricinfo - Home boys, Sheikhs and chucking ] ] . He has stated, though, that he has nothing personal against Muralitharan [ [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/srilanka/content/story/139304.html Cricinfo - 'I have nothing personal against Murali' - Bedi ] ] , although Muralitharan has threatened to sue him [ [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/srilanka/content/story/139300.html Cricinfo - Murali threatens to sue Bedi ] ] . Recently he has echoed the same criticisms against his countryman, Harbhajan Singh [ [http://www.theage.com.au/news/cricket/bedi-points-finger-at-harbhajan/2007/12/01/1196394689334.html Bedi points finger at Harbhajan - Cricket - Sport - theage.com.au ] ] . 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?" [ [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/srilanka/content/story/111053.html Cricinfo - Bishan Bedi's deadly straight delivery ] ] . He has accused one-day cricket, modern cricket bats and small grounds of causing a decline in classical spin bowling in India [ [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/srilanka/content/story/225767.html Cricinfo - 'Chucking is a bigger threat than bribing or betting' ] ] .

He has also attacked Sunil Gavaskar, calling him "a destructive influence" [ [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/srilanka/content/story/298297.html Cricinfo - Gavaskar a 'destructive' influence - Bishan Bedi ] ] . He said to Australian coach John Buchanan "Tell us, John, have you made this Australian team great, or have they made you?" [ [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/srilanka/content/story/131785.html Cricinfo - The malaise of bitterness ] ] He once famously bowled Colin Cowdrey in a first-class match and remarked "I like your style of batting!" Fact|date=June 2007. His son, Angad Bedi has also represented Delhi in the Ranji Trophy.

References

External links

* [http://ind.cricinfo.com/db/PLAYERS/IND/B/BEDI_BS_06001290/ Cricinfo Player Profile : Bishen Singh Bedi]

Persondata
NAME=Bedi, Bishan Singh
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Bedi, Bishen Singh
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Cricketer
DATE OF BIRTH=25 September 1946
PLACE OF BIRTH=Amritsar, Punjab
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=