Sunil Gavaskar’s tribute to Abid Ali

Sunil Gavaskar

"Very sad news, he was a lion-hearted cricketer who did anything the team needed. Despite being an all-rounder who batted in the middle-order, he opened the batting when needed. [He] took some incredible catches in the leg cordon, adding an even sharper edge to our wonderful spin quartet. As a new ball bowler, he has the unique record of getting a wicket with the first ball of a Test match twice if memory serves me right.

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He loved the tip and run and when promoted up the order in my debut Test match, this tactic resulted in some overthrows which reduced the pressure considerably. He was a thorough gentleman with impeccable manners who spoke professionally. Heartfelt condolences to his family."