The Australian cricket community is in mourning following the loss of former Test batsman Ian Redpath who sadly passed away at the age of 83.

A member of Australian cricket’s hall of fame, Redpath was a fixture of Australia’s side in the 1960s and 1970s.

The Victorian played 66 Tests and scored eight centuries between 1964 and 1976, compiling 4734 runs at an average of 43.45.

Hailing from Geelong, Redpath marked his debut with a score of 97 against South Africa at the MCG. However, it took him five years to secure his first Test century.

That milestone came in the second innings of a match against the West Indies in Sydney, after which his average soared to nearly 50.

As his career progressed, Redpath became even more prolific, notching up five centuries in his final 15 Tests, including three in his last series. Perhaps most notable was his performance against a fearsome West Indies attack led by Michael Holding and Andy Roberts, helping Australia secure their last series win over the Caribbean team for 20 years.

After retiring, Redpath turned to coaching, taking the helm of Victoria’s cricket team, and remained deeply involved in Geelong cricket well into his later years.

Cricket Australia chair Mike Baird was among the first to pay tribute to Redpath reflecting on how he was “a much loved and revered figure” in Australian cricket.

“As a fine opening batter, Ian was a mainstay of the national team through one of the great eras of Australian cricket and beloved by many throughout the world for his courage, impeccable sportsmanship and wry humour,” Baird said in a statement.

“We were privileged to hear Ian speak of the wonderful experiences and relationships cricket had provided upon his induction into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2023 and this deep love of the game was manifest in his enormous contribution to cricket at first-class and community level.”

Following Baird’s kind words, the sporting community came together with their own tributes to “a legend of Australian cricket”.

-with AAP.