Bishan Singh Bedi, the legendary spinner who was never afraid to speak his mind

Former Indian cricket team captain Bishan Singh Bedi passed away on October 23, 2023, at the age of 77. The left-arm orthodox spinner led India in 22 Test matches from 1967 to 1979, amassing a total of 166 wickets in 66 Test matches. Bedi was widely respected as one of the most esteemed cricketers of the 1970s era.

However, what truly distinguished Bedi was his boldness and fearlessness in speaking his mind, often taking on figures in positions of power. Bedi was perhaps the only former cricketer from the Kapil Dev era who unabashedly voiced his opinions.

The Pacific dump controversy

During the Rothmans Cup in the 1990s, where the Indian team suffered a humiliating defeat against the Australian team, Bedi, then serving as the team's manager, famously declared to the media, "The entire Indian team should be dumped into the Pacific." That was Bishan Singh Bedi, a man who always spoke his heart out, regardless of public opinion.

A stand for principle

Even after retirement, Bedi continued his outspoken stance on cricketing affairs in India.

For instance, he demanded the removal of his name from the stands of the Arun Jaitley Stadium due to what he saw as the politicization of the stadium's affairs.

The DDCA dispute

• Bedi's dissatisfaction stemmed from the alleged politicization of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA).
• The decision to erect a statue of former Finance Minister and DDCA President Arun Jaitley, after whom the stadium was renamed, was made during the tenure of Jaitley's son, Rohan Jaitley, who was then in charge of the DDCA.
• Bedi expressed his disapproval in an email to the DDCA, stating, "I now gather a statue of Late Arun Jaitley, which is going to be installed at the Kotla.
• I pride myself as a man of immense tolerance and patience, but DDCA has truly tested me and forced me to take this decision."

The Bowling action debate

• Being a wrist spinner himself, Bedi criticised the bowling actions of Sri Lankan bowler Muttiah Muralitharan and Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh, labeling Muralitharan a "javelin thrower" and expressing concerns about the ICC's apparent oversight regarding their actions.
•  He said: “People say that he has got 800 wickets. I would rather say its 800 run-outs. On one hand, you have Shane Warne, who is a magician, and then you have Muralitharan, on the other hand. Its total shambles."
• Bedi pulled Harbhajan Singh also into the league of Muralitharan. “He (Harbhajan) is no different to Muralitharan. The ICC is turning a blind-eye to both of them. They are blind to this monstrous problem and it is unfair and undesirable,” he said.

'No bigger scam in India than IPL'

• Among the various controversial statements he made, Bedi's opinion on the Indian Premier League (IPL) was particularly strong, as he labeled it a "scam" during an interview in 2018.

• He expressed concerns about the financial transparency of the league.

• During an interview with Aaj Tak, he said: “I don’t want to say anything about IPL. There’s no bigger scam in India than IPL. Nobody knows where IPL’s money comes and goes. The second edition of IPL happened in South Africa in 2009, millions of money was taken out of the country without the permission of the Finance Minister."

Kohli’s power dynamics

• Bedi also once verbally attacked former Indian skipper Virat Kohli for what he perceived as Kohli's excessive power within the Indian team, particularly during the fallout with former Head Coach Anil Kumble.
• "That is what I am saying, one person (Kohli) is doing all he wants, and we are letting it happen. What would Anil have said? He was gracious to leave it like that."