Former India cricketer Gopalaswamy Kasturirangan loved cricket & roses, left his fragrance on and off the field

Bengaluru: Former India cricketer Gopalaswamy Kasturirangan from Mysuru breathed his last on Wednesday after suffering a cardiac arrest at his resident in Chamarajapet, Bengaluru. He was 89. Kasturirangan was an opening bowler who bowled "sharp in-swingers off the wrong foot".

He played cricket for the Mysore University team in the Rohinton Baria Trophy from 1947-48 to 1950-51, taking three wickets in the final in his last season, when Mysore University won. In 1952, he also played for South Zone against an East Pakistan and Burma team. The visiting side included the likes of Hanif Mohammad and Anwar Hussain.

However, when he was not playing cricket, he would spend his time in his rose garden. Like cricket, roses was his first love. Kasturirangan took immense interest in horticulture. He wrote several books on the subject. He was the brain behind setting up the Global Rose Society and named several roses after former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, former Presidents S Radhakrishnan and APJ Abdul Kalam and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose

He made his first-class debut in 1948-49 for Mysore in the Ranji Trophy. In 1951-52 Ranji Trophy matches he took 12 wickets at an average of 10.33. He was selected to tour the West Indies with India in 1952-53 but declined the invitation and was replaced by N. Kannayiram. He continued to play for Mysore and captained the team from 1960-61 until his retirement after the 1962-63 season. His best figures were 6 for 42 (8 for 98 in the match) against Hyderabad in 1961-62. He became chairman of the BCCI grounds and pitches committee, which was formed in 1997. He took over from Kapil Dev, who initially headed the committee.

Expressing the condolence, Karnataka State Cricket Association Treasurer and Spokesperson, Vinaya Mruthyunjaya said "G Kasturirangan passed away today morning. He died of a heart attack at his residence in Chamarajapet. it is a really great loss for the sports field because he gave us fantastic pitches. Several of our Karnataka team victories in the 90s came on the wonderful sporting pitches prepared by Kasturirangan. Not just the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Kasturirangan was actively involved in turning other grounds like RSI into popular venues "

The Association said Kasturirangan had represented the then "MYSORE" team in the Ranji Trophy match in the year 1948 -49 to 1962-63 for Karnataka. Renowned international cricket player Anil Kumble tweeted, "Sad to hear about the passing of G Kasturirangan. He will be fondly remembered for all his contributions to cricket. Heartfelt condolences to his family."

In his immediate post-playing career, Kasturirangan played many roles in Karnataka cricket, including as the selector when Karnataka won its first Ranji title in 1973-74. Erapalli Prasanna, who captained that side, spoke of his relationship with the man who he said was pivotal to his career. Kasturirangan was Prasanna's first captain at the domestic level when he debuted for what was then the Mysore team. In the first innings of his debut match, Prasanna and Kasturirangan split nine wickets between themselves.