There are international cricket heroes and domestic dadas. There are also heroes of coaching nets. Naresh Churi, the former India Schools, Railways and Central Zone batsman was one such player. Churi, 60, passed away in Mumbai on Monday due a brief illness, said a friend. His funeral procession started at Shushrusha Hospital, Dadar.

Pravin Amre, one of the several India players to have emerged from the Ramakant Achrekar stable, has an interesting connection with left-handed Churi. The right-hander who marked his Test debut with a hundred against South Africa at Durban in 1992, told mid-day that Churi was a batsman whom young Achrekar trainees like him watched in the nets. “Naresh was Achrekar Sir’s favourite.