Indian men's cricket team coach Ravi Shastri on Monday condoled the demise of hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr. (More Hockey News)
He died in a private hospital in Chandigarh on Monday, his family said. He was 96 and was in a critical condition for nearly a fortnight.
In a tweet Shastri said, "#BalBirSingh Ji- A True Giant and a half in his field. Hockey legend out and out. Condolences."
Former skipper of the Indian hockey team, Viren Rasquinha also took to Twitter to pay respect to the three-time Olympic gold medallist.
"Very sad to hear of the demise of legendary Olympian Balbir Singh Sr, 3 time Olympic gold medallist. This was from my last meeting with him in Delhi. He was always smiling, so mentally alert, and such a thorough gentleman. What a fine role model," Viren Rasquinha tweeted.
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Balbir was undergoing treatment at Fortis Mohali and was in a "semi-comatose condition". He was hospitalised on May 8 with high fever and breathing trouble. But, his COVID-19 test had come negative.
Balbir played a key role in India's Olympic victories in London (1948), as a vice-captain in Helsinki (1952) and as the captain in Melbourne (1956).
In his illustrious playing career from 1947-1958, Balbir won 61 international caps and scored a whopping 246 goals. He was also the manager of the 1975 World Cup-winning team.
