‘I will never forget Yashpal’: Gundappa Vishwanath

TIL Desk Sports/ Batting great Gundappa Vishwanath was at a loss for words on hearing about Yashpal Sharma’s passing away on Tuesday. Yashpal, who played 37 Tests and 42 ODIs for India from 1979 to 1985, died after suffering a massive cardiac arrest at his New Delhi residence.

Vishwanath fondly recalls his 316 run partnership with Yashpal against England in the fifth Test in Madras in 1982. Vishy hit a majestic 222 while Yashpal scored a brilliant 140 to steer India to 481/4 declared in the first innings as the likes of Bob Willis and Ian Botham struggled to make an impact. “It is very, very sad. We played together, we went on a few tours together. He was a lovely person, a very jovial man. He was very fit.

I never expected him that he will go away so soon. I am at a loss of words after hearing the news of his passing away. I just can’t believe it. He was such a fit man. Even after finishing his cricket, we caught up a few times, he used to tell me, ‘I walk a lot Vishy bhai.’ In his playing days also, he focused on his fitness, he wanted to be one of the fittest cricket and he worked hard on it.