Former Indian cricketer Syed Abid Ali passes away at 83
What's the story
Former Indian all-rounder and exceptional fielder Syed Abid Ali has passed away at 83.
Born in Hyderabad, he made his debut in December 1967 in Brisbane, delivering a remarkable 6-55 in the first innings.
His career lasted till 1974, during which he played 29 Tests for India and left an indelible mark on the sport.
Here are more details about the former Indian all-rounder.
Career highlights
Abid's remarkable Test career
Abid Ali's Test career was nothing short of phenomenal. He finished his Test career with 47 wickets and 1,018 runs.
Remarkably, he had the rare honor of opening both batting and bowling for India in seven of his 29 Tests.
As mentioned, his best performance came in the Brisbane Test on his debut tour to Australia, where he claimed six wickets in one innings.
Legacy
Abid's contribution to Indian cricket
Abid Ali was known for his versatility and commitment toward the team.
Sunil Gavaskar praised him as quoted by Cricbuzz, as a "lion-hearted cricketer who did anything the team needed."
He opened batting when required despite being an all-rounder in the middle order and took incredible catches, adding sharpness to India's spin quartet.
His unique record includes getting a wicket with the first ball of a Test match twice.
ODI career
Abid's impact on limited-overs cricket
Apart from his Test career, Ali also contributed immensely to limited-overs cricket.
He played five ODIs, including three in the inaugural men's World Cup.
In his final 50-over match against New Zealand, he scored a remarkable 70 off 98 balls. His First-Class career boasts 397 wickets and a highest score of 173*.
Opening
Abid opened batting and bowling in seven Tests
As mentioned, Abid had the rare distinction of opening both batting and bowling for India in seven of his 29 Tests.
This included two away matches against New Zealand in February 1968, three home Tests against the same opposition in September-October 1969, and two matches during the West Indies tour in February-April 1971.
Numbers
A look at the late all-rounder's overall numbers
In 29 Tests, Abid picked up 47 scalps at 42.12. Across 49 innings, he also owns one five-wicket haul, with a best inning figure of 6/55.
His best bowling inning was 7/116. With the bat he has amassed 1,018 runs at 20.36. He also smashed six fifties.
According to ESPNcricinfo, Abid managed 93 runs in three ODI innings and recorded seven wickets in five innings.
He also boasts 397 FC cricket wickets in 212 matches at 28.55.