It’s a sombre Thursday morning. Sudhir Naik, the man responsible for turning the Wankhede pitch into the sporting beauty that it is today, passed away in Mumbai, aged 78.

An aggressive right-handed opening batter in his playing days, Naik was a part of India’s tour of England in 1974. One of the biggest moments of his career came in the 1970-71 season of the Ranji Trophy, where he led a depleted Bombay side to win the title. After retirement, his bond with the game only grew stronger, turning to coaching and mentoring younger players, producing players like Zaheer Khan, Paras Mhambrey and Wasim Jaffer.

In 2005, he became the head curator at the MCA, and played a huge role in getting the pitch and the outfield ready ahead of the 2011 World Cup. The Wankhede crowd owe him greatly for making the 22-yards strip one of the finest in the country.

My heartfelt condolences to Shri Sudhir Naik ji’s family and friends. His contributions to cricket will always be remembered. May his soul rest in peace.

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) April 5, 2023

I am deeply saddened by the passing of #SudhirNaik. He was my first captain when I played for Tatas. I learnt a lot while playing under him as a youngster. I offer my deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. Rest in peace #cricket pic.twitter.com/ztvJhbwBcb

— Kiran More (@JockMore) April 5, 2023

The city of Mumbai and the cricketing fraternity has lost a gem.