End of an era: Hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr passes away
Chandigarh: One of India's greatest hockey players, Balbir Singh Sr, died at a hospital here on Monday after battling multiple health issues for over two weeks.
The legend was 96 and is survived by his daughter Sushbir and three sons Kanwalbir, Karanbir, and Gurbir.
"He died at around 6:30 this morning," Abhijit Singh, Director Fortis Hospital, Mohali, where he was admitted since May 8, told PTI.
His maternal grandson Kabir later sent out a message stating, "Nanaji passed away this morning."
The three-time Olympic gold medallist was in a semi-comatose state since May 18 and had developed a blood clot in his brain after being first admitted to the hospital for bronchial pneumonia with high fever.
He was hospitalised after experiencing high fever and suffered three cardiac arrests during the course of his treatment.
One of the country's most accomplished athletes, the iconic centre-forward was the only Indian among 16 legends chosen by the International Olympic Committee across modern Olympic history.
His world record for most goals scored by an individual in the men's hockey final of the Olympics still remains unbeaten.
He had scored five goals in India's 6-1 victory over the Netherlands in the gold medal match of the 1952 Helsinki Games. He was conferred with the Padma Shri in 1957.
Balbir Sr's three Olympic gold medals came in London (1948), Helsinki (1952) as vice-captain, and Melbourne (1956) as captain.
He was also the manager of India's only World Cup-winning side in 1975. It was the fourth time in the past two years that the former captain and coach was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
In January last year, Balbir Sr spent more than three months in hospital because of bronchial pneumonia.
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Jasprit Bumrah completes 200 Test wickets; joint second fastest Indian to milestone
Melbourne (PTI): India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah on Sunday became the second fastest Indian along with Ravindra Jadeja to complete 200 wickets in Test cricket during the fourth day’s play of the fourth Test against Australia here.
Bumrah dismissed Travis Head (1) for his 200th victim in the post-lunch session, joining Jadeja in the list of bowlers who are fastest to 200 wickets in Tests.
Both Bumrah and Jadeja achieved the feat in their 44th Test, and overall he is 12th Indian bowler in the format to complete the milestone.
The recently retired Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was the quickest among Indians to have taken 200 wickets, a feat that he achieved in his 37th Test.
Ashwin is ranked third in the overall list of bowlers who were fastest to 200 Test wickets, behind two leg-spinners -- Pakistan's Yasir Shah (33 Tests) and Australia’s Clarrie Grimmett (36 Tests).
The dismissal of Head followed by that of Mitchell Marsh's (0), caught behind the wicket, as Bumrah took his wickets tally in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to 28.
He had earlier dismissed opener Sam Konstas (8) for his first wicket in Australia's second innings.
