Dilip was kind-hearted: Shivlal

India’s Dilip Doshi during his stint with Warwickshire county in 1981. Pics/Getty Images

Former India off-spinner N Shivlal Yadav lavished praise on the late Dilip Doshi, who made his Test debut against the Kim Hughes-led Australia in Chennai in 1979. Yadav made his debut in the next Test of the same series in Bengaluru. "We walked into the Indian team and had to fill big shoes with the exit of Bishan Bedi, EAS Prasanna and BS Chandrasekhar. I was young, but Doshi had County experience. I met him for the first time, but he made me comfortable. We went on to play for three series together," said Yadav about Doshi, who passed away on Monday in England.

"We were roommates. He was very friendly and kind-hearted off the field, but on it he was a fierce competitor. He was a pure vegetarian and a teetotaller. He would not touch even onions and garlic," added Yadav.

Former India left-arm spinner Venkatapathy Raju revealed that Doshi was "dildaar" - a man with a big heart. "He was always very, helpful when Indian teams went to England. He would meet the players and give expensive Mont Blanc pens as gifts. He was always well dressed and wore expensive suits," said Raju.