Former India Pacer David Johnson Dies After Falling from Apartment Balcony

Bengaluru: Former India pacer David Johnson passed away on Thursday after falling from the balcony of his fourth-floor apartment in Kothanur, Bengaluru.

The 52-year-old cricketer, who played two Tests for India, is survived by his wife and two children.

According to a statement from the state police, a UDR (unnatural death report) has been filed at the Kothanur police station. Johnson’s body was taken to Ambedkar Medical College Hospital for a postmortem.

Johnson had been admitted to St Philomena’s Hospital last week due to acute stomach pain and had been dealing with health issues for some time. Police stated that there were no eyewitnesses or a suicide note, and his family has not raised any suspicions. He had also been visiting a de-addiction centre recently.

A Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) official confirmed that Johnson was declared brought dead at a nearby hospital. Johnson’s cricketing career included 125 First-Class wickets and 41 List-A scalps from 33 matches. He was renowned for his pace and was part of a formidable Karnataka bowling unit alongside Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad, and Dodda Ganesh.

Anil Kumble, expressing his condolences on X, wrote, “Saddened to hear the passing of my cricketing colleague David Johnson. Heartfelt condolences to his family. Gone too soon “ Benny”!”

BCCI secretary Jay Shah and former India opener Gautam Gambhir also extended their condolences on social media. Johnson, who faced financial difficulties due to his interest in horse racing, had taken various jobs and moved to Chennai for better prospects.

Johnson’s brief international career ended after two Tests, where he claimed wickets of notable players like Michael Slater, Herschelle Gibbs, and Brian MacMillan.