New Delhi, Jan. 25: Bombay-born A.L. Wadekar, who led India to the first-ever Test cricket victory over the West Indies and England last year, has been honoured with Padma Shri by the President, Mr. V.V. Giri, in the Republic Day awards to-night. Mysore’s freak leg-spinner B.S. Chandrasekhar, whose splendid bowling at the Oval clinched the series for India against England, has also been decorated with same award. Stylish left-hander Wadekar, who took over the captaincy from Mansur Ali Khan (Pataudi) two years back, was the chief architect of India’s historic victories in the Caribbeans and England with his admirable and inspiring leadership. Chandrasekhar, who recently completed 200 wickets in the Ranji Trophy, along with vice-captain S. Venkatraghavan and Bishen Singh Bedi tied the English batsmen into knots with his fast tantalising leg-breaks. His bowling was so fine that the English cricket critics unanimously acclaimed him as “one of the best exponents of wrist spin”. Left out of the Indian team’s tour of the West Indies, “Chandra”, as he was popularly known in England, made a grand come back to Test cricket.
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