Former India cricket captain, Ajit Wadekar, who died on August 15, was cremated at the Shivaji Park crematorium on Friday with full state honours.
Wadekar, who had led India to its first overseas victory in West Indies and England in 1971, had passed away at Jaslok Hospital after a prolonged illness. Wadekar had served Indian cricket in different capacities as national team manager, coach and selector. Draped in the national flag, the body was kept at Sportsfield, Wadekar’s Worli residence, in the morning for relatives, associates, teammates, well-wishers and admirers to pay their tributes as the police band played sombre notes.
Cricketers Sachin Tendulkar, Vinod Kambli, Sameer Dighe, and former India hockey captain Maneyapanda Somaya arrived at the residence to offer their prayers and condolences.
Mr. Somaya, who is a resident of Sportsfield, recalled the ease with which Wadekar conducted annual general meetings. He said, “Wadekar had the ability to deal with different personalities. He had a sense of humour and could diffuse tense situations with a joke at the right moment. Achievers from different sports stayed in our building and carrying everyone along was easy for Wadekar due to his easygoing nature.”
The body was then taken in an open truck to Shivaji Park Gymkhana (SPG) in Dadar, where former cricketers Sandeep Patil and Nilesh Kulkarni, former coach Vasu Paranjape, and his son Jatin Paranjape, a Mumbai Ranji and India player, offered their last respects.
Mr. Patil, also a former India manager, placed a SPG cap on the body when the funeral procession halted at the gymkhana’s gate for fans to pay their tributes. Wadekar played local cricket for the gymkhana right through his career and served as its president after retirement.
The left-handed Wadekar had made his name in maidan cricket at the gymkhana and Shivaji Park’s pitches were his territory before he climbed the ladder to Mumbai’s Ranji squad and the international arena. Wadekar went on to become the first person to captain India in One-Day Internationals and made a name for himself as an astute captain, stylish batsman and electrifying slip fielder.
Even after retirement, Wadekar made a mark in the banking sector and retired from the State Bank of India as a general manager. He had also lent a hand to cricket for the visually and physically challenged.
Wadekar’s body was then taken to the crematorium, where the last rites were performed in the presence of family members. As the Mumbai Police gave Wadekar a 21-gun salute, the gathering of admirers bid him a tearful adieu and recalled sweet memories of interactions with him on and off the field.
