With contemporary Indian captain Virat Kohli set to go on a paternity leave after the first Test of the ongoing tour in Australia, reports did the round that the legendary Sunil Gavaskar wasn't granted the permission to be able to attend the birth of his son, Rohan.
But Gavaskar debunked those by setting the record straight via his Mid-Day column, writing he didn't ask for the permission to return from the 1975-76 twin tours to New Zealand and West Indies, and though he did get back, it was in completely different circumstances.
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"While this is correct, the circumstances of that request were not quite made clear and so, here is an attempt to put the record straight," Gavaskar wrote.
"Firstly, I did not ask permission to return to be by my wife's side for the birth. When I left with the Indian team for the (1975-76) twin tour of New Zealand and the West Indies, I was aware that the baby would come while I was away. I was committed to playing for India and my wife backed me to the hilt."
Gavaskar got injured playing the third Test against the Kiwis and was advised a few weeks' rest. It is then, the great batsman made the request to return home for a couple of days and was back in time for the first Test in the Caribbean.
"The doctors advised a four-week break from the game for recovery. The next Test match was in the West Indies in about three weeks and since I wasn't going to be able to play in the interim, I asked our manager, the legendary Polly Umrigar, if I could go back at my own expense for a few days and rejoin the team in the West Indies well ahead of the First Test."
"So there was no question of me missing a Test match other than for injury. In fact, I played the first Test despite the doctor having advised another week's rest," Gavaskar revealed.
Gavaskar, inarguably one of India's greatest ever batsmen, played 125 Tests and 108 ODIs for the country. Part of the 1983 World Cup-winning team, he was also the first man in the history of Test cricket to get 10,000 runs.
