Hazare, 89, was suffering from intestinal cancer and had been on a life support system for the past week in a hospital.

He led India in 14 Tests, including their maiden win when they shocked England in the southern Indian city of Madras in 1952.

An enterprising middle-order batsman and useful medium-pace bowler, Hazare played 30 Tests for India from 1946 to 1953, hitting 2,192 runs at an average of 47.65 with seven centuries and bagging 20 wickets.

Hazare was famous for scoring a century in each innings against Sir Donald Bradman's Australian team at Adelaide in 1947-48.

Hazare also had a distinguished first-class career spanning 32 years. He averaged 58.19 with the bat with 57 centuries, two of those being triple, and took 565 wickets at 24.83.