It’s not even a week for the demise of 1983 World Cup-winning team member, Yashpal Sharma. And yet, the Indians stepped on the field for their first ODI against Sri Lanka on Sunday without black arm bands in tribute to the former middle-order batsman, who succumbed to a cardiac arrest on Tuesday morning.

Balvinder Singh Sandhu, the departed player’s roommate during that 1983 World Cup, was stunned to see the current Indian team not honouring Yashpal with black arm bands. “Yashpal contributed so much to Indian cricket. That the current side did not show respect to him on Sunday shows their cricketing intelligence, their knowledge of cricketing history and upbringing.