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Former Mumbai captain and chief selector Milind Rege, who passed away at 76, was cremated at Shivaji Park. Tributes were paid by former India players and MCA officials.
Milind Rege (BCCI Photo)
Several former Mumbai and India players paid their tributes to ex-Mumbai captain and chief selector Milind Rege who was cremated here at the Shivaji Park on Thursday.
Rege had died at a city hospital on Wednesday morning after suffering a heart attack. He was 76. Rege, who was admitted to the intensive care unit, is survived by his wife and two sons.
Former India players such as Dilip Vengsarkar, Sanjay Manjrekar, Sanjay Bangar, Kiran More, and Abey Kuruvilla were in attendance along with officials from the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) including president Ajinkya Naik and secretary Abhay Hadap as well as veteran administrator Prof. Ratnakar Shetty.
“His heart always beat for Mumbai cricket and its players. I have always looked up to him as a senior, he donned several hats, of a selector, or manager or mentor. He contributed a lot to Mumbai cricket,” Bangar told the media.
“He would urge me to leave Railways and come and play for Mumbai. This tells he had good feelings in his heart for me and all that he did for Mumbai cricket will be remembered for a long time,” he added.
Rege breathed his last a mere three days after celebrating his 76th birthday. Having made his First-Class debut in the 1966-67 season, he remained an integral part of the Mumbai team until his final appearance in the 1977-78 season.
At the age of 26, Rege had suffered a heart attack but he recovered well enough not just to take the field again but also lead Mumbai.
A childhood friend of Sunil Gavaskar, Rege played with the legendary Indian batter for Dadar Union Sports Club and also held several administrative roles in the MCA, including being a selector and chief selector.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)
