Rohit Sharma Reflects on Anshuman Gaekwad’s Passing: “Lucky To Have Had Few Conversations With Him”

The Indian cricket community is grieving the loss of former cricketer and head coach Anshuman Gaekwad, who passed away on Wednesday night. Indian captain Rohit Sharma paid tribute to Gaekwad, expressing his gratitude for having had the opportunity to converse with him. Gaekwad, who represented India in 40 Tests and 15 ODIs from 1975 to 1987, later became a selector and served as the team’s head coach from October 1997 to September 1999. He briefly returned as coach for the 2000 Champions Trophy at the BCCI’s request, where India lost to New Zealand in the final.

Sharma shared his sorrow and reflections on Gaekwad’s impact: “I was deeply saddened to hear the news of his passing. I consider myself fortunate to have had a few conversations with him, both during the BCCI awards and on a personal level. During my Ranji Trophy days, I had the chance to discuss my game with him, which was a significant moment for me given his stature as a cricketer.”

He continued, “Learning from seniors like him about how cricket was played in the past and gaining insights into his experiences and views was incredibly valuable.”

Sharma extended his condolences to Gaekwad’s family, acknowledging the difficulty of losing a loved one. He added, “I’m grateful for the moments I had to interact with him personally.”

Gaekwad, aged 71, had been battling blood cancer and sought treatment at King’s College Hospital in London before returning to Vadodara in June. He passed away at Bhailal Amin General Hospital around 10 pm on Wednesday.

In support of Gaekwad’s treatment, the BCCI had allocated INR 1 crore, following appeals from former cricketers. Roger Binny, the BCCI President, attended Gaekwad’s final rites in Vadodara on Thursday afternoon, along with former players Kiran More and Nayan Mongia.

Gaekwad was honored with the CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018 and was a member of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) with Kapil Dev and Shantha Rangaswamy. He also served as President of the Indian Cricketers Association (ICA) until his passing and represented the association in the BCCI Apex Council from 2019 to 2022.