Anshuman Gaekwad: Indian Cricket batting legend dies aged 71

Former cricket coach and batter Anshuman Gaekwad has died aged 71. He passed away in the evening of Wednesday, July 31 after a lengthy bout of blood cancer.

A two-time coach of India’s national cricket team, Gaekwad was best known for his clever and conservative approach to batting. A formidable opponent against fast bowlers, his performances led him to be gifted the moniker of ‘the great wall’.

In test matches, Gaekwad picking up an overall batting average of 30.07 over 40 games in test cricket - additionally, he scored 1,985 runs over the course of his career. Meanwhile, in One Day International fixtures, Gaekwad had a batting average of 20.69 and scored 269 runs.

He played for his national team over the course of 13 years. He made his international test match debut in 1974 and his last in 1984 - meanwhile, his last ODI came in 1987. He was given the C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018 for his contributions to the sport.

Following Gaekwad’s death, BCCI president Roger Binny issued a statement, which reads [via ESPN]: “Anshuman Gaekwad's passing is a great loss for Indian cricket. His dedication, resilience, and love for the game were unparalleled.

“He was not just a cricketer but a mentor and a friend to many. The cricketing community will miss him dearly, and his contributions will always be remembered.”

One of the players he coached, Anil Kumble, wrote a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) page: “Deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Aunshu bhai. He was closely associated with my career as selector, coach but more importantly always had my back.

“A kind hearted person with a fierce competitive streak. Our fraternity is going to miss you Aunshubhai. May God give strength to his family and close friends to bear this loss.”