Mumbai:

 Former Mumbai captain Milingd Rege passed away at the age of 76 after suffering cardiac arrest. He played multiple roles in Mumbai cricket after drawing curtains on his career and worked with the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) throughout his life. He worked as a managing committee member selector, and commentator and later was appointed as advisor to MCA. Rege was part of the selection committee when Sachin made his Ranji Trophy debut in the 1988-89 season against Gujarat at the Wankhede Stadium.

Ahead of the day’s play in the Ranji Trophy semifinal between Mumbai and Vidarbha, the players observed silence to pay tribute to him. The Mumbai players wore black armbands as well in the memory of the cricketer. The Mumbai off-spinner featured in 52 first-class matches for the Mumbai side between 1966-67 and 1977-78 and picked 126 wickets. He also contributed with the bat scoring 1532 runs with an average of 23.56.

He was also a member of the organising committee during the ICC Champions Trophy which was held in Mumbai in 2006.

"Deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Milind Rege Sir. A stalwart of Mumbai cricket, his contributions as a player, selector, and mentor were invaluable," MCA president Ajinkya Naik said in a statement.

A childhood friend of former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar, Rege played as the right-handed batter for Dadar Union Sporting Club. He started working as a cricket advisor for MCA in 2020.

"His guidance shaped generations of cricketers, and his legacy will forever be cherished. May his soul rest in peace. Heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones," he added.

Former India players like Ravi Shastri and Sachin Tendulkar also tweeted in memory of the ex-Mumbai captain.

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