Dilip R Doshi, former India Spinner dies at 77 in England.
Dilip Rasiklal Doshi, dies at 77, he died due to heart issues in London, where he was living for several decades.
A well-respected left-arm spinner in English county for a while when India’s spinner trio was in action. He became the only luckiest spinner to play for India at the age of 32 as few other spinner’s effort went in vain.
He represented India in 33 Tests for his 114 test wickets, including six five-wickets in innings hauls and he grabbed 22 wickets in 15 ODIs at an economy rate of 3.96 between 1979 and 1983
Doshi was known as a thinking cricketer and brought those characteristics to the fore in the Melbourne Test of 1981 - which India won - An intelligent and patient bowler, Doshi claimed 6 for 100+ runs against Australia England, he was effective on even the most placid tracks. as he played one of the leading roles with a five-wicket haul. He used to bowl with sporting spectacles, played the famous Test with a broken toe. As treatment, at the end of the day, he would apply electrode every evening to keep the swelling down.
He become unique record holder as one of four test bowlers that played their first Test after the age of thirty, yet went on to take more than 100 wickets in tests,
Doshi also holds the record for the most Test Match innings in a career without ever batting above someone else in the order, with 38 innings batting at number 11 in the order.
Doshi, a class left arm spinner made his first-class debut with his native Saurashtra, but he played most of his Ranji Trophy cricket matches with Bengal. Overall, he took 318 wickets in Ranji with the remarkable figures of six wickets for six runs against Assam in 1974. He also played first class cricket for Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire England counties.
Doshi made a quick and silent exit from international cricket in the 1980s as he did not agree with the way Indian cricket was being run at the time.
Doshi also wrote a honest and compelling account of his cricketing days in a revealing autobiography Spin Punch.
Over the years, Doshi was a regular at cricket games, often spotted with Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger, who became a good friend from 1976.
Doshi is survived by his wife Kalindi, son Nayan, who played for Surrey and Saurashtra, and daughter Vishakha.
His legacy continues to inspire aspiring cricketers and fans alike, reminding us of the passion and dedication that defines the spirit of cricket. As we remember his contributions, we celebrate not just his records but the joy he brought to the game and the lives he touched through his remarkable journey.
