Ajit Laxman Wadekar (1 April 1941 – 15 August 2018) was an Indian cricketer who captained the Indian national cricket team in the early 1970s. A left-handed batsman from Bombay, he is best remembered for leading India to its first Test series wins in the West Indies and in England, both achieved in 1971. After retiring as a player, he served Indian cricket as a manager, coach, selector and administrator.
| Full name | Ajit Laxman Wadekar |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 April 1941, Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India |
| Died | 15 August 2018, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Batting | Left-handed |
| Role | Specialist batsman; occasional slip fielder |
| Domestic team | Bombay |
| Test debut | 1966, vs West Indies |
| Captaincy | India, 1971–1974 |
| Notable honours | Arjuna Award (1967); Padma Shri (1972) |
Wadekar was born in Bombay and educated at Elphinstone College. He initially trained in mathematics but was drawn to cricket through college and club competition in the city, then one of the strongest cricketing centres in India. He came up through the rich Bombay school of batsmanship, which placed a premium on technique and the ability to bat for long periods.
Wadekar played first-class cricket for Bombay in the Ranji Trophy from the late 1950s. He was a central figure in the Bombay side that dominated Indian domestic cricket through the 1960s and early 1970s, winning the Ranji Trophy repeatedly during his playing years. His high domestic output, particularly in the middle order, established him as a candidate for national selection.
Wadekar made his Test debut for India in the 1966–67 season against the West Indies. Over the next several years he became a regular in the Indian middle order, valued for his composure against pace and his sound technique against spin.
In 1971, Wadekar was appointed captain of India in succession to the Nawab of Pataudi Jr. His tenure produced two of the most celebrated results in Indian cricket history:
Wadekar also led India to a home series win against England in 1972–73. His captaincy ended after the difficult 1974 tour of England, in which India was heavily defeated, including being dismissed for 42 at Lord's. He retired from international cricket soon afterwards.
Wadekar worked for the State Bank of India for many years, eventually serving in senior positions. He returned to Indian cricket in administrative and team roles, including:
Wadekar died in Mumbai on 15 August 2018 after a prolonged illness. Tributes were paid by the Board of Control for Cricket in India and by leading cricketers across generations.
Within Indian cricket, Wadekar is remembered as the captain under whom India first learned to win Test series abroad. His combination of calm leadership, faith in the spin quartet of Bishan Singh Bedi, B. S. Chandrasekhar, E. A. S. Prasanna and S. Venkataraghavan, and trust in young batsmen such as Sunil Gavaskar and Gundappa Viswanath shaped the identity of the Indian Test team in the 1970s.