He was part of the Ajit Wadekar-led Indian team that played its first-ever ODI in 1974 against England at Headingley, a 55-over-a-side match that India lost.

In the first game, he batted at No.8, scoring 17, and opened the bowling, conceding 51 runs in nine overs.

In the second ODI at The Oval, that also India lost, Ali batted at No 10 and picked up his first wicket while returning figures of 1/21 from 11 overs.

Ali also played in the inaugural ODI World Cup in 1975, featuring in three matches.

His best performance in the format came against New Zealand, where he scored a 98-ball 70.

In his five ODI appearances, he accumulated 93 runs and took seven wickets.

At the domestic level, Ali played 212 first-class matches, scoring 8,732 runs, including a highest score of 173 not out, and picked up 397 wickets, with best figures of 6/23.

Heartfelt tributes poured in from the cricketing fraternity who remembered him as a dedicated mentor, a team player and a remarkable human being.

“Sad news Abid Ali is no more. He was great team man and good human being. Heartfelt condolences to the family. OM Shanti,” posted World Cup winning India all-rounder Madan Lal.

Former chief national selector and wicketkeeper MSK Prasad remembered Ali’s days as Andhra coach.

“It is very unfortunate that Abid Sir has passed away. He had been unwell for quite some time. One thing I can proudly say is that during his tenure as Andhra’s coach, he instilled in us the art of winning — transforming us from mere participants into true competitors,” Prasad stated in his condolence message shared with PTI.

“Through his relentless efforts, both physically and mentally, he shaped our team into a dominant force in domestic cricket for a decade. He developed a winning culture and mentality that stayed with us. His contributions to Andhra cricket will always be remembered,” added Prasad.