CHENNAI: Former Indian cricketer V.B. Chandrasekhar has died in what investigators suspect was suicide prompted by worries about debt, police said on Friday.

Chandrasekhar, 57, was found in his bedroom by his family in Chennai on Thursday evening, police investigator Senthil Murugan said.

“We have booked a case of unnatural death. According to our preliminary investigation, he has been under a financial stress. The autopsy report is awaited,” Murugan said.

Opening batsman Chandrasekhar represented India in seven One-day Internationals from 1988 to 1990 and helped Tamil Nadu state win the 1987 Ranji Trophy.

He owned a Tamil Nadu Premier League team, the VB Kanchi Veerans, and also ran a cricket academy, VB’s Nest, in Velachery, the Times of India daily reported online.

“Very sad to hear of the passing away of VB Chandrasekhar. Have fond memories of him. My condolences to his family,” former India great Sachin Tendulkar tweeted.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2019