SUNIL GAVASKAR – 118, 1977
The third Test of the Australia and India Test series of 1977-78 was played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and India won the toss, electing to bat first.
However, India lost both its openers for ducks and despite a recovery from Mohinder Amarnath, Gundappa Vishwanath, and Ashok Mankad, scored 256 runs in its 1st innings. India bowled well to keep Australia to 213, with Bhagwath Chandrasekhar picking 6/52.
In the second innings, however, things became different as opener Sunil Gavaskar dug deep putting team’s need for a big score in front and kept adding small partnerships as India put on a decent score of 343 runs. Vishwanath also scored a nifty 54, Amarnath and others contributed, as Gavaskar reached a must deserved century.
Sunil Gavaskar scored a masterful 118 off 285 balls with 12 fours in 351 minutes. His innings helped India put on a target of 387 runs for Australia. His innings made India confident of winning the match and with Chandrasekhar repeating his 1st innings performance of 6/52 and 12 wickets in the match, India won the Test by 222 runs to claw back in the series.
Gavaskar’s 118 helped the Indian spinners get the runs to back them up and put the Australian batsmen under pressure and capitulate at the same moment.
