Ajit Wadekar demise an irreparable loss: Sachin Tendulkar

Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar on Friday expressed his grief over the demise of former Indian Test captain Ajit Wadekar and termed it as an "irreparable lose".

After paying his last respect to Wadekar at his residence in Mumbai, Tendulkar said, "He understood how to bring the best out of his players. He was always liked by everyone. I was fortunate enough to see both, a great cricketer and a wonderful person. It is an irreparable loss."

Wadekar passed away on August 15 in Mumbai. He was considered as India's finest slip fielders and an aggressive left-hander. He appeared in a total of 37 Tests and amassed 2,113 runs at an average of 31.07.

Born in Bombay, Wadekar made his first-class debut in 1958, while he played his first Test match against the West Indies in 1966.

In 1967, he was bestowed with the Arjuna Award. He also received the Padma Shri Award, the country's fourth highest civilian honour, in 1972.

Wadekar also served as the manager of the Indian cricket team in the 1990s, along with the then captain of the national team, Mohammad Azharuddin.