Gavaskar - Indian batting hero & pioneer

Gavaskar - Indian batting hero & pioneer

We live in an era where batting prodigies like Suryavanshi are raising the bar on what Indians can achieve at an young age on global stage in a fearless manner for batting.

But the man who first showed rest of the world, Indian batters must be respected was Sunil Gavaskar. Popularly called as Sunny, or the original Little master, he was to Indian batting what Neil Armstrong was for moon landing a pioneer. Let's see why?

Batting Records:

. First test batsman to score 10,000 runs

. First to go past the 29 tons of Bradman

. Highest runs (774) scored as debutant

. Only Indian batsman to play 100 consecutive Test matches

. He is the only cricketer with 58 Test century partnerships with 18 different players.

. He is the first Indian cricketer to carry his bat in test cricket (an opening batsman who is not dismissed when the team innings is closed after fall of 10 wickets)

. He has a Calypso song was penned in his honour

Confidence & Courage:

Much before Srikanth Tendulkar and Sehwag, as a opening batsman, he exuded confidence and positive body language. Hardly five feet six inches tall, he faced and pulverized, terrifying fast bowlers from the West Indies and Australia. His courage was legendary. He stood up to the likes of Australia’s Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson, Pakistan’s Imran Khan, and the most fearsome quartet of all—the West Indies' Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Joel Garner, and Colin Croft. He didn't just survive; he thrived.He played without modern head protection. He proved that Indian batters could succeed anywhere in the world.

Technique & Temperament:

Before Dravid, he was the first great wall of India. His technique was flawless. And his temperament was outstanding. His concentration was legendary. As long he was at the crease India was safe. He valued hard work, discipline, and grit. He carried the Indian batting lineup through difficult years. He inspired an entire generation of future Indian cricket legends. Sir Donald Bradman, the greatest Test batsman of all time, acknowledged Gavaskar's immaculate defensive and attacking mechanics with this quote "There is no one finer or more compact in his technique than Sunil Gavaskar."

Astute Cricketing brain:

Sunil Gavaskar is widely recognized as one of the most astute minds in cricket history, a trait that defined his legendary playing career and cemented his longevity as a global broadcaster. His ability to read the game combines deep technical knowledge with sharp tactical awareness. He has written several books on cricket. I have his Omnibus collection of three books in my library consisting os Sunny days, Idols, One day wonders.

Humility:

Look at the way he compliments people from Kohli to Dhoni to Kapil from his quotes.

"To become a good player, you need talent. To become a great player, you need an attitude like Kohli."

"In the final moments of my life, I want just two minutes to see Kapil Dev lifting the 1983 World Cup trophy and MS Dhoni hitting the winning six in the 2011 World Cup final"

Other quotes from Gavaskar:

"Form is temporary, but class is permanent."

"The greatest quality a captain can have is the ability to think for himself and make decisions under pressure."

"Comparisons are really no good in sport, especially if it is a comparison between different eras and generations"

Philanthropist:

Gavaskar is also a great philanthropist giving his time and voice for under privileged sections of society in many forums in India and abroad. He is a Sathya Sai Baba devotee like me. He regularly uses his presence to raise funds for charity organisations.

Personal story

Happy to receive a autographed bat from the Legend Gavaskar in 2019. A big thanks to my cousin Kasthuri Rangan for talking to Mr. Gavaskar on this when he met him at San Francisco. I was delighted Mr. Gavaskar remembered my Dad, T Govindarajan, TG, who passed away in 1998, almost quarter century back, among hundreds of journalists he must have met across the globe after so many years. That shows how kind Gavaskar is as a person. Here is an old snap of my Dad, as president of sports journalists Federation of India, honoring both Kapil Dev and Gavaskar after the 1983 world cup win.

And this month I had the good fortune of meeting him at an event and getting a selfie. I got his " Omnibus - idols and sunny days" book autographed. I also gave him a copy of my book "Joyful Balance" which he received.

We are multi generational fans of Gavaskar. Starting from my late grandfather Prof T S Raghavan, then my late father T Govindarajan sports journalist The Hindu & Sportstar to myself. He will always be a hero and pioneer.