Former India Test captain Ajit Wadekar condoled the death of G S Ramchand, saying the former India captain was one of the "gutsiest cricketers".
Speaking to rediff.com on Monday, Wadekar said, "Ramchand's passing away is a sad loss to Indian cricket. We have been neighbours for a long time in Sportsfield society (in Mumbai), which also houses Sunil Gavaskar.
"He was a very good cricketer, an all-rounder who could come in to bowl and pick up crucial wickets when the team needed them the most.
"He always guided youngsters and encouraged them to do well."
Wadekar said he has fond memories of Ramchand in the Ranji Trophy final of 1962.
"I still remember the double century I scored against Rajasthan in the Ranji Trophy final in 1962. He kept on encouraging me to score more runs. When I reached 50 he kept on egging me to go for a century; and when I reached 100, he asked me to get to 150 and so on...."
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"That helped me to play the huge innings of 235. It was also a treat to watch him at the other end score a brilliant century," he said. [Bombay won the match by an innings and 287 runs. Ramchand was out for 100]
Wadekar wondered whether a planned film on the history of Indian cricket, which is to be brought out by the Heritage Committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, of which Ramchand was chairman, would now materialise.
"He [Ramchand] was also the chairman of the 'Heritage Committee' which is to produce a film on Indian cricket, right from 1932, when the country entered the international fold. The film is being produced to create an awareness among youngsters about the history of Indian cricket and the legends of Indian cricket, like C K Nayudu.
"I am a member of that film committee along with Polly Umrigar, Bapu Nadkarni and K N Prabhu. It was the idea of the BCCI to come out with the film, but now with the death of Ramchand this idea may not realise," Wadekar said.
Former Test player and chairman of selectors Chandrakant Borde said the news of Ramchand's death came as a huge shock to him.
Borde said: "Ramchand was a straightforward person. He was a useful all-rounder and a very good batsman. He was very good off the backfoot. He would play like Sachin Tendulkar; he would time the ball very well.
"He was a very good captain and his achievement of a first Test win over Australia speaks for itself.
"I still remember the days when we used to travel by train. We used to have a good time. Vijay Manjrekar, Polly Umrigar and I used to pull his leg. He always took it in the right spirit.
"Overall, he was a wonderful person and a nice gentleman."
Ramchand's teammate and close friend Polly Umrigar said Ramchand was one of the best all-rounders of his time who had a lot of guts.
"Despite being hit on his body several times by Aussie pace bowlers Ray Lindwall and Alan Davidson at Bombay and Kanpur Test matches in 1956, he went on to score heavily.
"I had a special rapport with him as we were room mates during tours and very close friends. Later, our families too became close. His demise is an irreplaceable loss to me and my family," Umrigar said.
"He was also a fine captain and always led from the front. He never stopped from trying new tricks to gain an advantage over his rivals," he added.
"Yesterday I went to see him at the Hinduja Hospital. He had become very weak. He just opened his eyes before the doctors took him away to the ICU," he said.
Another colleague of Ramchand, Bapu Nadkarni, said he was a very useful cricketer who was always involved in the game.
"One of the most gutsy knocks I have ever seen by an Indian was by Ramchand against a fiery pace attack of the Aussies in 1956. He faced the short-pitched balls gutsily, even after couple of his teammates were injured, and went on to score 109 at Mumbai and a dogged 59 at Kanpur," Nadkarni added.
"Though Ramchand was older to me, we were very close to each other and got along very well," he said.
Board of control for Cricket in India president Jagmohan Dalmiya expressed shock at the demise of former Indian captain G S Ramchand and described him as not only "one of the finest cricketers the country has produced, but also an extremely pleasant personality".
"The news came like a bolt from the blue. We are deeply saddened... because Ramchand was not only one of the finest cricketers that the country has produced, but also an extremely pleasant personality," Dalmiya said in a condolence message to the bereaved family.
"He had taken a lot of responsibility on his shoulders and his demise has created a void that will be difficult to fill."
Ramchand, who was admitted to Hinduja Hospital on August 28 following heart complications, passed away late last night.
Photograph: DEEPAK SALVI
