NEW DELHI, June 22: India�s cricket fraternity mourned the demise of legendary first-class spinner Rajinder Goel, calling him a �master of his craft� whose �bradmanesque� record made him a stalwart in domestic cricket.
Goel died on Sunday owing to age-related illnesses. He was 77 and is survived by his wife and son Nitin Goel, who has also played first-class cricket and is a domestic match-referee.
Paying a glowing tribute to Goel, iconic batsman Sachin Tendulkar tweeted: �Saddened to hear about the passing away of Rajinder Goel ji! He was a stalwart of Indian Domestic Cricket picking up more than 600 wickets in the Ranji Trophy. May his soul Rest in Peace and my heartfelt condolences to his near and dear ones.�
India head coach Ravi Shastri also saluted his craft in his message.
�RIP Rajinder Goel ji. Master of his craft. Killer line & length in our terrain. Humility personified. Condolences to the entire family,� he wrote on his twitter page.
Goel, a left-arm spinner, had 750 first-class wickets from 157 games, representing Haryana and North Zone in domestic cricket. He played 26 seasons of first-class cricket from 1958-59 and 1984-85.
India skipper Virat Kohli also paid a tribute to the departed cricketer.
�We�ve lost a legend in Rajinder Goel Ji. Him being the highest wicket-taker in the history of Ranji Trophy, speaks volumes about the career he had. Wishing all the strength to his family and loved ones,� Kohli tweeted.
Former India captain and current BCCI president Sourav Ganguly condoled his death, describing him a �giant� of domestic cricket, whose long career is a testimony of his craft. � PTI
