The BCCI on Thursday condoled the death of former India opener Sudhir Naik, saying his passion shaped the careers of many cricketers and he will continue to inspire the future generation of players.

Former India opener Sudhir Naik

Naik, who played three Test matches and two ODIs in the 1970s, died in a Mumbai hospital on Wednesday after a brief illness.
He was 78 and is survived by his daughter.

“We are deeply saddened by the sad demise of Shri Sudhir Naik. His solid contribution – across decades – towards the game shall inspire everyone who wants to take up the sport,” BCCI president Roger Binny said in a release.

“The BCCI prays for the departed soul and shares the grief of the family.”

Naik was an immensely respected figure in the Mumbai cricket circles and a Ranji Trophy-winning captain when he led the team to blue-riband glory in the 1970-71 season.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah said: “I am pained to learn of the passing of Shri Sudhir Naik. This is a big loss and I express my condolences to his family, friends and everyone at the Mumbai Cricket Association.

Shri Naik’s Great Achievements

“Shri Naik was really passionate and served the game in various capacities, be it as a cricketer, coach, curator, or administrator. He had a keen eye for talent and helped shape the careers of many cricketers.”

It was Naik, who hit the first four for India in ODIs in England in 1974 at Headingley, Leeds.

A Mumbai stalwart who donned different hats and carried out various responsibilities, Naik, famously led a depleted Mumbai to Ranji Trophy triumph in 1971 when the likes of Sunil Gavaskar, Ajit Wadekar, Dilip Sardesai and Ashok Mankad were creating history in the Caribbean.

He played 85 first-class games and scored 4376 runs at an average of 35 plus and hit seven hundreds, including a top score of 200 not out.

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1974

He went on a fateful tour of England and made his debut in the Birmingham Test where he got his only half-century (77) in the second innings in a losing cause.

Post his playing days, Naik played an ever-bigger role in Mumbai. Managing the affairs of the National Cricket Club, he was instrumental in shaping and nurturing the careers of Zaheer Khan, Wasim Jaffer and Nilesh Kulkarni, apart from a number of players who went on to play for Mumbai.

A long-time chief curator of the Wankhede Stadium, Naik is also credited for getting the stadium ready for the ICC World Cup 2011.