Desai died at the Jaslok Hospital where he was admitted four days back with viral fever. He had already undergone a heart bypass surgery and underwent an angioplasty a few months ago. He had been advised another bypass after his latest admission to the hospital.

Desai had lost a lot of weight in recent times and was finding it increasingly difficult to discharge his duties as the National selection committee chairman. His failing health finally forced him to relinquish his post as selector during the India-Australia Test series a slot occupied now by Ajit Wadekar.

It's sad that the present generation should remember Desai as a man who struggled with words while facing the media as selection committeechairman. To those who have seen him as a bowler, he was as fluent as fluent could be -- a poetry in motion. As Sandeep Patil told The Indian Express: ``Not since Michael Holding have I seen a bowler with such a rhythmic run-up. I grew up in Shivaji Park admiring his deeds and was later fortunate he was my coach at Ruia College. It's sad that he had to die at a time when the Indian cricket team, whose destiny he has presided over in recent times, is doing so well.''

Nicknamed ``Tiny'' for his short stature, Desai was unquestionably one of the greatest fast bowlers the country has produced. He captured 74 wickets from 28 Tests at 37.31 in the late fifties and sixties.

Raj Singh, the Board of Control for Cricket in India president, opined that Desai, with Dattu Phadkar, Kapil Dev and Javagal Srinath, was one of the four best fast bowlers produced by India.

``Tiny was very gentle and humble (as a person). But put a ball in his hand and he became a fierce competitor. If he had shared the new ballwith Phadkar, Kapil or Srinath, it would easily have been as good an international attack as any,'' he said.

One of his contemporaries, Dilip Sardesai said: ``Ramya was not only a good cricketer but also a good soul. I have played cricket with him since my varsity and ACC (Inter-offices) days and I can tell you that behind that small frame of his was a tremendous fighter. His run-up to the wicket was a joy to behold and was a lesson worth emulating for every youngster. He served Mumbai exceedingly well, as a player and an administrator.''

Recalling his three-decade old association with Desai, Eknath Solkar said: ``He was a great source of inspiration when I began my career. He was very supportive and encouraging. He had the most artistic, athletic and rhythmic run-up I have seen which enabled him to generate that disconcerting pace and nasty bounce.''

Desai, who made his debut against Gerry Alexander's West Indians in the 1958-59 series, is known best for his duels with the great Hanif Mohammed, whom herattled with his short-pitched deliveries when Pakistan toured this country in 1960-61.

Desai played in 10 Test series -- his last being the 1967-68 away series under Tiger Pataudi in New Zealand. He took 46 wickets in 14 Tests between 1958-59 and 1960-61, including 21 in the home series against Pakistan -- a series in which he proved his prowess as a useful lower-order batsman with a knock of 85 at Mumbai in 1960-61. His partnership of 149 runs with PG Joshi for the ninth wicket in the Test is still the highest for the wicket for India against any country.

He played 53 times between 1958-59 to 1968-69 in the National Championship for Mumbai, took 239 wickets (average of 15.42) and scored 815 runs in 53 matches.

Desai's body will be taken from Jaslok Hosptial tomorrow around 6.00 a.m. to Sportsfield the building where he resides with some of India's greatest sports luminaries like Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Ajit Wadekar, Polly Umrigar, Ravi Shastri, Bapu Nadkarni, Ashok Mankad, Eknath Solkar, MSommaya and Pradeep Gandhe. Later, at around 9.30 a.m., the body will be taken to the Shivaji Park cemetery.