Yashpal didn’t get credit for ’83 win: Kirti Azad

TIL Desk Sports/ Kirti Azad says his friend and team-mate Yashpal Sharma, who died on Tuesday, July 13, led a disciplined life and was a strict vegetarian and it was strange that he died due to a cardiac arrest.

Yashpal, who played 37 Tests and 42 ODIs for India from 1979 to 1985, was instrumental in India’s World Cup win in 1983 with a few handy knocks with the bat.

Azad hails “gun fielder and superb team man” Yashpal Sharma. He was the fittest in the side, a complete teetotaller. He wasn’t indulging himself into any vices, he was a strict vegetarian, he led a very disciplined life.

This is not the age to go. The 1983 players were a good, happy, family. When WhatsApp came in around 10-15 years ago, we formed a group and we stayed constantly in touch with each other, joking around, pulling each other’s legs.

When I heard about it, I was taken aback, in fact the entire team was (taken aback) when I put it on the WhatsApp group. Nobody could just say anything, nobody could believe he is gone.