In an age when leg spinners were a rarity, this bearded South Indian with an extraordinarily fast arm action flourished.

"Chandra" was a classical leg-spinner, proving expensive at times but also so capable of producing an unplayable ball and a match-winning spell.

He was largely responsible for his country's first successes in England, with six for 38 at the Oval in 1971, and in Australia, with 12 for 104 in the New Year Test at Melbourne seven years later.

The polio he suffered in childhood which left his bowling arm withered was turned into an advantage as a longish run-up culminated in a whirring arm motion that suited googlies and top-spinners.

Though he bowled with his right hand, he threw with his left.

Against the 1972/73 touring England side he managed 35 wickets, the most by an Indian bowler in a series, at under 19.

A road accident later consigned him to a wheelchair.