Today, July 10, 2024, marks Sunil Gavaskar’s 75th birthday. The man who faced some of the best fast bowlers in history without a helmet. One of the best batsmen in cricket, Sunil Gavaskar, would prefer to take each day as it comes, just as he did when he dealt with cunning spinners and speed merchants one ball at a time. The former captain of India, who became the first person to climb “Mount 10,000” in Test cricket, turns 75 this summer and will always be associated with the willow game.
Sunil Gavaskar: Early Life And Career
Gavaskar was born in Mumbai in 1949, and his rise to fame in cricket started early. His dominance in school and college cricket demonstrated his extraordinary talent. He didn’t have to wait long to make his Test debut for India against the West Indies in 1971. In just four matches, he produced an impressive 774 runs to signal his presence.
Hope was eternal, and money was secure. India believed it had a chance when he batted with middle-order mainstays like G.R. Viswanath, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Mohinder Amarnath, as well as fellow openers like the late Chetan Chauhan, Anshuman Gaekwad, or K. Srikkanth. All-rounder Kapil Dev also chipped in.
On The Field With Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar had steely resolution and a straight bat as second nature. Towards the end of his career, the opener briefly tried wearing a skull cap, making him one of the few players, along with the legendary Viv Richards, to bat without a helmet. But what people always remember about him is his wide-brimmed bat and floppy hat—they seem to be enough to defend a castle!
When he retired, the figures were astounding. 34 hundreds and 10,122 test runs. a singleton and a yield of 3092 ODIs, for a total of 25,834 in First Class accumulation. According to the test statistic, Mumbaikar Sachin Tendulkar is ranked first, and Gavaskar is ranked thirteenth.
Gavaskar could dismantle the most potent attacks when the mood struck. He once achieved this in Delhi, matching Sir Don Bradman’s then-world record of 29 Test hundreds.
A Legacy That Inspires
Many people of a younger age could prefer to completely identify him with that role because they have only seen him in that capacity as a commentator. Even Richie Benaud had to deal with this reality. Perhaps memory is short in these days of Instagram loops, two-minute noodles, and shortened words, or perhaps recency bias is at work.
To those who witnessed him bat, however, Sunil Gavaskar seemed to be at the crease for eternity. He was that old-fashioned fixed deposit in a reputable bank in this flash-and-dash period, from the openers to the middle-order to the finishers.
Off the field, he is full of anecdotes, has a mischievous sense of humor, volunteers extensively, particularly for elderly athletes, and, because badminton is a favorite sport of his, he tends to become reverent while discussing Prakash Padukone. Wishing you a happy birthday, Master, and many more magical years of cricket in the future.
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