Goolam Rajah death: Cricket fraternity remembers 'legendary team manager of the Proteas'

Members of the cricketing fraternity including the likes of Brian Lara, Jacques Kallis, Gary Kirsten, Harsha Bhogle, etc, came forward to offer their last respects to former South Africa team manager Goolam Rajah who passed away on Tuesday after having developed serious post-COVID complications.

Goolam Rajah death: Cricketing fraternity offer their last respects

Taking to the micro-blogging site, the 'Voice of Indian Cricket' Harsha Bhogle wrote that he is saddened to read of the passing of Goolam Rajah. The veteran commentator then called Rajah an 'affable' as well as a 'friendly' person who never forgot to wear his smile. Bhogle concluded by calling him a 'Good man in a good era of South African cricket'.

Team India's 2011 World Cup-winning coach Gary Kirsten termed Goolam as one of the most 'remarkable' and 'selfless' people he has ever met and then added that it was a privilege to know and share the Protea experience with him. The ex- SA opener also expressed condolences to the deceased team manager's family.

Legendary Proteas all-rounder Jacques Kallis came forward and condoled Goolam Rajah's death. He then wrote 'What a good man we have lost'.

West Indies cricket legend Brian Lara called Goolam Rajah one of South Africa’s 'true gentlemen'.

Ex-South Africa skipper and all-rounder Shaun Pollock came forward and mentioned that Goolam Rajah always treated the players as a 'family'.

Here are others who came forward and paid their last tribute to Goolam Rajah.

Goolam Rajah death

Former manager of South Africa men's cricket Goolam Rajah passed away due to COVID-19 complications in Johannesburg on Tuesday. The 74-year-old had developed serious post-COVID complications and had been on ventilator support for the last two months.

Issuing a statement, Cricket South Africa (CSA) mourned the death of the legendary figure lauding him for his service to the SA team over two decades. "To the Proteas, he was much more than part of the management team. He was a friend, confidant, and adviser. In total, 107 players represented the Proteas during his time in more than 600 matches across the three formats. They will all remember him with great fondness and gratitude," the CSA statement read. 

"He personally considered his greatest achievement to be invited by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to manage the World XI against Australia, the No. 1 team in the world at the time, in a one-off Test match," the statement added.

CSA acting chief executive Pholetsi Moseki also issued a statement and said that the team will always remember him as a 'very special human' and will treasure his memories. "It is a very sad day for the South African cricket family," he said. “We all have our special memories of him which we will treasure. He was truly a man who gave a great deal to the game of cricket and to everybody involved in it," he added, playing his respect to the Rajah's wife and family.

Goolam Rajah is known to have coached the South Africa men's team in 1992 up until his retirement in 2011. He was also part of the SA team's history-making moments such as the 1999 World Cup where the late Hansie Cronje's men who were considered as the red-hot favorites to lift the coveted trophy suffered heartbreak after agonisingly falling short in the semi-finals against the eventual champions Australia at Edgbaston.

Rajah has worked alongside 107 players in more than 600 matches, as per CSA.