Saurashtra wicketkeeper-batsman Avi Barot, who also played for the India Under-19 squad, died unexpectedly on Friday night in Ahmedabad while watching the Indian Premier League final. He was just 29 years old and died of a severe heart attack. This was while watching the match. His wife Nidhi, who is now four months pregnant and his mother Kashmira.

“Coincidentally, his father had also died of a heart attack when he was in his 40s a few years earlier. Our physiotherapist had just talked with him a couple of days before about the preparations for the next season,” a Saurashtra Cricket Association official stated.

So far in his illustrious career, Barot has appeared in 21 Ranji Trophy matches, 17 List A games, and 11 Twenty20 matches for Saurashtra. In all, he had played 38 first-class matches (1547 runs at 24.95, with one hundred and nine fifties) and had scored 1547 runs at 24.95. Three domestic teams-Gujarat, Saurashtra, and Haryana-played 38 List A games (1030 runs at 28.61, with eight fifties) and 20 Twenty20 games (717 runs at 37.73, with one hundred and fifties).

The Story That Shocked The Cricketing World Completely

Barot had only six days before, on October 10, scored 72 off 43 balls, including seven fours and four sixes, to help Saurashtra defeat Gujarat in the final of the Reliance G-1 Senior Men’s T20 Tournament.

The previous month, on January 15, Barot scored 122 off 53 balls for Saurashtra against Goa in Indore, as part of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Twenty20 Trophy. His innings included eleven boundaries, including a six, and seven sixes. On January 13, he crushed Vidarbha with a 93-run knock off 44 balls.

In reality, he completed the tournament as the fourth-highest run-getter with 283 runs in five games at 56.60, including a hundred and fifty runs. Despite the fact that he was unfortunate not to be selected in the IPL 2021 auction, he would’ve been optimistic about his prospects of participating in the glittering event in the future.

After scoring 54 and 21 runs to open the batting, Barot helped Saurashtra defeat Bengal in the Ranji Trophy final to win the 2019-20 season of the tournament in March 2020 in Rajkot. This turned out to be Barot’s last first-class game, which was sad for him.

“Am completely taken aback and astonished. He made significant contributions for us in the Ranji Trophy knockout stages that season, both as a batsman and as a wicketkeeper. Was a fantastic team player. Very disciplined cricketer who excelled in all aspects of the game. He was always on time for training. Was a teetotaller who did not consume any alcoholic beverages in his life. We are going to miss him,” Karsan Ghavri, a former Indian seamer who was the coach of Saurashtra during that season, said in an interview with TOI on Saturday.

The Cricket Fraternity Left Shocked By The Untimely Demise Of Avi Barot

“Everyone at the SCA is profoundly grieved by his unexpected, untimely and incredibly tragic passing,” said the organization’s president. “Avi was a cricketer of extraordinary and amazing ability. Everyone in the SCA expresses their deepest sympathies to Barot’s family members during this difficult time.”

In a statement, the SCA stated, “We pray to God to offer Avi’s noble soul everlasting rest. To provide enough strength to Avi’s family, friends, and all dear ones to endure this terrible loss. Avi’s family, friends, and all dear ones are given the fortitude to bear the unimaginable loss, the SCA added.

“It is extremely surprising and heartbreaking to read about Avi’s tragic death,” said Jaydev Shah, a former captain of the Saurashtra cricket team and current president of the SCA.

“He was a fantastic teammate. He also had excellent cricketing abilities. Recently, he had a good run in the domestic cricket league. He was a kind and honourable human being in every way. We at SCA are all in a state of complete disbelief after learning of this development.”

“It is heartbreaking to learn about this tragic development. I mean, it is beyond belief. ‘Avi will always have a special place in our hearts. Will be missed,’ said former Saurashtra captain and coach Sitanshu Kotak in a Facebook post.

Here are some of the reactions from the cricket fraternity:

Extremely shocked and saddened to learn of the untimely demise of Avi Barot. A bright young cricketer, who represented India U19, Saurashtra and Haryana has left us all too early. Condolences to his family and friends in this hour of grief. 🙏🏽

— Jay Shah (@JayShah) October 16, 2021

Really shocked to hear of the young Avi Barot passing away. Life can be unpredictable and unfair! I pray for the strength of his family and loved ones to deal with this irreplaceable loss 🙏🏻 Om Shanti

— Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) October 16, 2021

Deeply saddened to know that Avi Barot is no more. A cardiac arrest at the age of 29.. devastating. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. I hope they find the strength to cope with this irreparable loss 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/otmO0z0y71

— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) October 16, 2021

Shocking to know about Avi barot 😞 young guy , was terrific for saurastra in the recent past . Thoughts & prayers with his family . Life is unpredictable . Let’s spread kindness please 🙏

— Shreevats goswami (@shreevats1) October 16, 2021

Shocked to hear the news about Avi Barot . Thoughts and prayers with his family and loved ones 🙏🏼🙏🏼. Look after yourselves and one another . Be kind and be happy .

— Rohan Gavaskar (@rohangava9) October 16, 2021