One of the greatest batters and openers of all time, Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar is celebrating his 75th birthday today on July 10, 2024. He was born in 1949 in Mumbai and went on to play for India and captained the side as well with laurels.
Gavaskar made his India debut in 1971 against the West Indies and scored 774 runs in 4 Tests including a double ton, which is still a world record for most runs by a batter in a debut Test series.
He went on to achieve greatness as an astute opener who withstood opposition pacers on their home ground. He was also apt against spinners on the best turning tracks in India and Pakistan.
Sunil Gavaskar was the first to have 30 Test centuries and finished with 34 tons to his name. He was also the first to 10,000 runs in Tests, finishing with 10122 runs in his 125-Test career. He was part of India’s maiden Test series wins in England and West Indies and also the 1983 World Cup win.
Known for having oodles of concentration in his playing days, Sunil Gavaskar said everything was god gifted.
“Concentration was a God-given gift, and thankfully, it is still there. The only problem is that often, I am so engrossed in what I am reading or listening to music that I end up offending people who are trying to talk to me as I get wrapped up in reading or listening on my earplugs,” he told Times of India in an interview.
When asked about his fitness at this age, Gavaskar said: “I don't know about being fit. I have a shoulder and a lower back issue, so can't say I am fit. I've had issues with shin splints since my playing days. I can't run and can only do brisk walking as exercise. Till last year, walking 10,000 steps every day was the aim, but now it's been brought down to 7500, though I end up doing more than that. I owe what I am to cricket and Indian cricket, so covering the games India plays is hardly a job.”
He was also asked to list his favorite Test innings.
Gavaskar said: “117 not out at Barbados when we had to save the Test (fourth Test of the 1971 series against West Indies). The 220 in the last Test in Trinidad, where again we needed a draw to win that series. I got a 57 at Old Trafford, on a fast, grassy bouncy pitch in wet, cold conditions (against England in 1971. India drew that match and famously won that series 1-0) and I didn't wear a sweater because of superstition, so felt the cold a fair bit. This is my best innings in Test cricket. In 1974, at Old Trafford again, in similarly cold conditions, I scored 101. It restored my self-belief as that was the first ton after 1971.
The 86 out of 102 at Port of Spain, when we chased down 404 to win the Test against West Indies in 1976. By the end of Day Four, I was 86 not out. It is my most fluent innings. The next morning, I struggled for an hour to score the next 16 runs.”
He also listed 175* by Kapil Dev in the 1983 World Cup, Sachin Tendulkar’s 114 in Perth in 1992, and VVS Laxman’s 281 in Kolkata amongst some of his favorite Test knocks of other batters.
(Times of India inputs)
