5 times Bishan Singh Bedi grabbed headlines for a bold statement

One of India's greatest-ever spinners, Bishan Singh Bedi, passed away on October 23, aged 77. He was a left-arm orthodox spinner, known for his exploits in Test cricket for the subcontinent country. He picked up 266 wickets in 67 Test matches.

A former Indian captain, Bedi was known to be upright and candid about his thoughts. He had a lot to say about cricket matters that often led to him making headlines.

On that note, let's look at five instances when Bishan Singh Bedi grabbed the headlines for a bold statement:

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#5 Bishan Singh Bedi's views on the Arun Jaitley Stadium

The late spinner wasn't happy when the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), headed by Rohan Jaitley, decided to build a statue for Arun Jaitley outside the Feroz Shah Kotla, which has been renamed Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Arun Jaitley was a minister who had never played cricket. Hence, Bedi didn't understand the logic behind his statue being erected outside a cricket stadium. He also wanted the DDCA to remove his name from one of the stadium's stands.

Bishan Singh Bedi wrote an email to the DDCA in 2020 (as per ESPN Cricinfo):

"After the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium was named hurriedly and most undeservingly after Late Arun Jaitley, my reaction then was maybe somehow good sense might prevail to keep Kotla sacrosanct. How wrong I was. I now gather a statue of Late Arun Jaitley is going to be installed at the Kotla."

He added:

"I pride myself as a man of immense tolerance and patience but DDCA has truly tested me and forced me to take this drastic action. So Mr President, I request you to remove my name from the stand that was named after me with immediate effect."

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#4 Criticizing Muttiah Muralitharan's action

Legendary spinner Muttiah Muralitharan's career was riddled with controversy surrounding his bowling action, especially in the late 1990s.

His action was questioned by umpires and former cricketers who believed he was chucking. However, the off-spinner was cleared by the ICC after biomechanical analysis.

Bishan Singh Bedi was one of Muralitharan's greatest critics. He compared the Sri Lankan bowler's delivery action to a javelin throw and a shot put throw.

He stated in 2010 (as per Hindustan Times):

"I called him (Murali) a javelin thrower. I can call him a shot-putter. People say that he has got 800 wickets. I would rather say that it's 800 run-outs! On one hand, you have Shane Warne, who is a magician, and then you have Muralitharan, on the other hand. It's total shambles."

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#3 Calling Harbhajan Singh a chucker

Bishan Singh Bedi also believed that fellow Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh had an illegal bowling action. He called Singh a "chucker" and wanted the ICC to take action against these types of bowlers.

Bishan Singh Bedi said in 2010 (as per Hindustan Times):

"He (Harbhajan) is not any different (to Muralitharan). The ICC is turning a blind eye to both of them. They are blind to this monstrous problem and it is unfair and undesirable. It is not something to be ignored. A lot of people have questioned Harbhajan's action and they are right too. He has the same problem as Murali."

The former Indian captain suggested that chucking is worse than match-fixing and concluded by saying that Harbhajan and Muralitharan are not good role models for young and upcoming spinners on the subcontinent.

Bedi added:

"This is cricket's greatest tragedy. Match-fixing was disgraceful but no one knew about it, so nothing could be done. Throwing is being allowed to happen in front of 30,000 and 40,000 people. Chucking is a bigger disgrace than match-fixing because it is done out in the open. It is the scourge of cricket and must be stopped."

He continued:

"And young bowlers on the subcontinent are coming through and they are copying the actions of Harbhajan and Muralitharan. These boys will be Test cricketers one day and the ICC is going to have a hell of a problem."

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#2 Bedi's attack on Sunil Gavaskar

In 2007, Bishan Singh Bedi made headlines due to his bold statements against the former Indian opener and his old teammate, Sunil Gavaskar. He stated that the legendary cricketer 'liked power without accountability' and didn't consider him a 'leader.'

Bishan Singh Bedi opined in 2007 (as per The Statesman):

"He (Gavaskar) wants the glamour, the position and if there are any financial gains so much the better, but he does not want any accountability. He's always liked power without accountability. I had a lot of time for his batting but never as a thought leader. You tell me what his contribution has been (to NCA). He is destructive, there is nothing positive."

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#1 Controversial statements aimed towards the BCCI

Bishan Singh Bedi was a long-time critic of modern-day cricket. One of his qualms with BCCI was their introduction of the IPL (Indian Premier League). Bedi went as far as to call the league a "scam" in 2018.

He told Aaj Tak:

"I don’t want to say anything about IPL. There’s not a bigger scam in India than IPL. Nobody here knows where IPL’s money comes and goes. The second edition of the IPL happened in South Africa, millions of money was taken out of the country without the permission of Finance Minister."

Bishan Singh Bedi also gave his candid thoughts on how Virat Kohli had been given too much power by the BCCI and how that led to the feud between Kohli and Anil Kumble.

Bedi said:

"That is what I am saying, one person (Kohli) is doing all he wants and we are letting it happen. What would Anil have said, he was gracious to leave it like that."