For both Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, the passing away of Yashpal Sharma turned out to be “shocking”.

“Yash looked the fittest among the 1983 team. He was exercising regularly I am told, taking his walks and keeping abreast of what’s happening in Indian cricket.

“So it’s really very tough to come to terms with the fact that he’s no more,” Gavaskar said on his Instagram handle.

“He was also one of the most lively members of our 1983 group, the one who would always send something on our 1983 WhatsApp group for us to think about him and comment. During the time when diving was not so much in fashion, he was one of the earliest ones to dive. We were all looking forward to a get together again, particularly when the film (on the 1983 World Cup triumph, directed by Kabir Khan) is going to be released…,” Gavaskar added.

“I still cannot believe that this (news of Yashpal’s demise) is true. We met last week and he looked quite healthy to me. But you can’t fight what God has decided,” Kapil said.