Home
Bishan Singh Bedi, an iconic figure in the world of cricket, especially for India, was renowned not just for his exceptional bowling skills but also for his profound understanding of the sport. His expertise was so revered that even the legendary Australian spinner Shane Warne once sought his counsel on how to bowl to the cricketing maestro Sachin Tendulkar.
This intriguing anecdote was shared by Bedi himself during an episode of 'Breakfast with Champions', hosted by Gaurav Kapoor. "Warne asked me how I would have bowled to Sachin. So my answer was to get him out," Bedi recalled. He further advised Warne to maintain a field with a short leg, gully, and slip while bowling to Tendulkar. This suggestion left Warne somewhat taken aback, prompting him to exclaim, ‘You are joking.’
Follow the Sports Tak channel on WhatsApp
However, Bedi's rationale was rooted in the psychology of the game. He believed that 'cricket is a mind game' and emphasised the importance of field placements not just for catching but also for creating pressure on the batter.
"Those fielders are not there to catch, they are there to put pressure on Sachin. Since he is such a great player, he may not have liked the fielders he had. You don't field for bad bowling. You apply fielding to bowl well," he elaborated.
Bedi even suggested the inclusion of a 'silly mid-off' to further unsettle Tendulkar. This strategy, when implemented by Warne, led to Tendulkar's dismissal, a triumphant moment Warne celebrated by waving his hat in the air.
The cricketing world recently mourned the loss of Bishan Singh Bedi, who passed away on Monday, October 23 at the age of 77. His illustrious career for India boasted 273 wickets from 77 matches, including 13 four-wicket hauls, 14 five-wicket hauls, and a 10-wicket haul.
During the 1975 World Cup match against East Africa, he played a pivotal role in securing India's first-ever ODI win. With his impressive bowling figures of 12-8-6-1, he successfully restricted East Africa to a mere 120 runs.
Shane Warne, who benefitted from Bedi's advice, himself tragically passed away the previous year due to a cardiac arrest in Thailand.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK
'Need to have a lot of might to keep him out:' After Shami's masterclass, Gautam Gambhir issues challenge to India team management
After 3 wickets from 4 games, Yuzvendra Chahal picks four-wicket haul for just 8 runs in SMAT 2023
4 overs, 1 maiden, 6 runs and 4 wickets: Jaydev Unadkat's supreme spell restricts opposition for 66/8, win game with 99 balls to spare
