Hyderabad, Aug. 16 -- Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin expressed his condolences after Australia legend Bob Simpson passed away at the age of 89 in Sydney on Saturday.

Former captain and coach, Simpson was a key figure in Australia's surge to the pinnacle of the cricketing world in the 1990s. Simpson took the full-time coaching role for the Baggy Greens when the Allan Border-led side was enduring a steep decline in fortunes. Australia was tottering in the middle of a winless run that stretched out for three years.

"It is a sad day. I think he was a father figure to all the cricketers in the world. When I played in the 1999 World Cup, he was also our coach, and he always loved me. When I was playing county cricket, he was also co...