Ajit Wadekar is an iconic name in the Indian cricket fraternity, a dynamic left-handed batter and an exceptional close-in fielder. To add to that, he was a brilliant leader under whom India tasted a lot of success. However, his success does not tell you the real story behind his struggle.
Opportunities did not come easy for Wadekar. He had to wait for eight long years for his India cap after making his first-class debut, despite impressive performances. But once the opportunity was presented, he grabbed it with both hands. He did not score a truckload of runs but hit important knocks which saw him getting awarded the role of captaincy, taking over the reins from another legend, Nawab Pataudi.
There was a lot of expectations from Wadekar and he did not disappoint. He led India to their first overseas win against the Windies in 1971 and then followed it up by beating England. However, the battering they received against England in 1974 saw Wadekar getting sacked as captain, eventually leading to his forced retirement.
Post-retirement, he became the manager of the Indian cricket team in the 90s. He was also a part of the ICL but was released from his contract in 2009. There have been several awards won by him also with the notable ones being the Padma Shri in 1972 and the Arjuna Award in 1997. Also, in 2011, he was presented the Lifetime achievement award by the BCCI. All in all, he lived a life which one can cherish. Sadly he passed away on the 15th of August 2018. His legacy though will long live in the memories of all his fans and the cricketing fraternity.
