Syed Abid Ali who played 29 Test matches for India between 1967 and 1974 died at 83 years old in California.
The medium-pace bowler was recognized for his outstanding fielding skills and fast running between wickets.
In 1971 he scored the decisive runs at The Oval to achieve India’s inaugural Test series win in England. The winning square cut shot by Syed Abid Ali did not cross the boundary line while ecstatic fans invaded the field to celebrate the victory.
Syed Abid Ali played in all five of India’s initial ODIs starting with his debut in 1974 and concluding in 1975. During his Test career he took 47 wickets and achieved his best career figures of 6/55 against Australia during his debut match in Adelaide. He demonstrated his all-round cricket skills by recording six Test fifties during which he achieved twin half-centuries in Sydney on his first Test series.
Abid Ali batted at the top of the order on occasion but most of his Test innings—20 out of 53—were played as a lower-middle order batter at No. 8. 8.
During a Test match against New Zealand in Christchurch he became part of a rare controversy when he was no-balled for throwing while protesting against Kiwi bowler Gary Bartlett’s suspect bowling action which the Indian team questioned.
Abid Ali played 212 first-class matches for Hyderabad throughout two decades during which he scored 8732 runs including 13 centuries and 41 fifties while taking 397 wickets at an average of 28.55. Abid Ali played his final Test match in December 1974 then his last ODI in June 1975 before ending his first-class career in 1978-79.
After his playing career ended he became a coach for Andhra Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy while also coaching teams from the United Arab Emirates and Maldives. He spent his final years living in Tracy, California with his family until his death.