Former Indian Cricketer and Coach Anshuman Gaekwad passes away

Former Indian cricket player and coach of the Indian men’s cricket team Anshuman Gaekwad died on 31 July 2024. He was 71 years old and suffering from blood cancer. He was undergoing treatment for blood cancer at King's College London, England, and had recently returned to Vadodara, Gujarat. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)gave Rs 1 crore to Anshuman Gaikwad for his treatment in London.

Anshuman Gaekwad  as a Player 

Anshuman Gaekwad made his debut for India against the West Indies in a 1974 Test match played at Eden Garden, Kolkata. He played his last Test match against England at Eden Garden, Kolkata, in 1984-85.

Overall, he played 40 Tests and 15 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) for India in a career that spanned from 1975 to 1987.

He made his debut for India in the ODIs against England in the first World Cup in 1975.

He scored 1985 runs in the Tests, with his highest score of 201 against Pakistan at Jalandhar in the 1982-83 series. The double-hundred he scored in 671 minutes was the slowest ever in test cricket at that time.

He was known for his slow and defensive batting, and he scored 269 runs in ODIs.

Anshuman Gaekwad, as a Coach and National Selector 

After retirement, Anshuman Gaekwad served as coach of Indian men’s cricket in two stints between 1997 to 2000.

Anil Kumble took 10 wickets in a test inning against Pakistan at Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi on 7 February 1999 while he was the coach of the Indian team.

Anshuman Gaekwad also served as national selector and president of the Baroda Cricket Association. Just before he fell ill, he was a member of the BCCI Apex Council and an ICA representative.

Honour and Book 

In 2018, the BCCI honoured him with the C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was started by the BCCI in 1974 and is the highest award given by the BCCI to a former Indian cricketer. 

In 2023, his autobiography ‘Guts Amid Bloodbath' was released.