Cricket ministration was among many hats Arun Jaitley wore in public life and in his untimely demise, cricketers remembered man who seamlessly juggled roles and stood for m in testing times. A seasoned politician, an astute lawyer and a raconteur with innumerable friends across party lines, Jaitley passed away on Saturday after a prolonged period of illness. He was 66. While politicians cutting across party lines were quick to mourn death of former union minister, cricketers also took to twitter to express ir condolences.

Delhi cricketers pour in tributes to Arun Jaitley

Former India opener and BJP member of Parliament, Gautam Gambhir, who was close to Jaitley, said a part of him was gone with his demise. 

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Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan and Ishant Sharma, besides Gambhir, are some of names that shone in international cricket with him at top. He was a cricket fan first and someone that every big name in BCCI would consult before zeroing in on any policy decision with regards to Indian cricket.

Expressing ir grief were Virender Sehwag and Aakash Chopra in a series of tweets. 

big-hitting former opener was t done re. He took to reveal that it was under Jaitley's leership at DDCA that many players got a chance to play for he national team. 

Aakash Chopra was deeply sdened to hear Arun Jaitley's demise and hailed scholar and cricket lover. 

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BCCI and DDCA term it as a personal loss

DDCA also expressed its condolence on its official Twitter p. "DDCA condoles death of its former president Mr. Arun Jaitley. DDCA and its members mourn his untimely death and feel loss of his experience and wisdom. We pray to Almighty for his soul to Rest In Peace."

BCCI acting president CK Khanna termed it a personal loss. "Our association goes back to our college days in Shri Ram College Of Commerce where we worked toger, he as President, and me as General Secretary of College Union. I also h privilege of inviting and closely working with  him in Cricket ministration in DDCA and BCCI. His contribution in field of cricket shall be remembered forever," Khanna said.

Cricket Association of Bengal joint secretary Avishek Dalmiya, whose far late Jagmohan Dalmiya worked closely with Jaitley during former's stint as BCCI president also sent his condolences. "Shri Arun Jaitley ji was one of few persons who has genuinely loved Indian cricket and someone who always came forward to protect BCCI when chips were down," Dalmiya said. "Being an eminent lawyer, he would take centerst in such verse situations and guide Board on way forward. In fact, he would certainly have been obvious and unanimous choice for BCCI Presidentship on a number of occasions h he given his consent to occupy chair," Dalmiya junior said. 

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Arun Jaitley's political milestones

He is best kwn for having served as Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs in first Narendra Modi government, has also held portfolios of Defence and Information and Brocasting. It was Jaitley who rolled out GST in 2017 which saw India becoming a unified market for goods and services for first time, and was also first chairman of GST council, is widely credited for forging consensus leing to Constitutional amendment that eventually passed GST Bill. Jaitley opted out of second Narendra Modi government, having gone to US for two spells of treatment for a medical ailment in 2018-19. He has, however, regularly taken to Facebook and Twitter to pen blogs on various significant issues in country.

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