Legendary Indian batter Sunil Gavaskar has at all times been celebrated as one of many biggest batters to have performed Check cricket. Not too long ago, his former India teammate Karsan Ghavri shared unheard tales that reveal simply how a lot energy and status Gavaskar had throughout his enjoying days.
From 1971 to 1987, Gavaskar was the spine of Indian batting. His capacity to tackle the world-class quick bowlers and file historic innings gave him an enormous standing in Indian cricket. Ghavri recalled that one of the vital notorious moments in Gavaskar’s profession got here in the course of the 1975 World Cup in opposition to England. Gavaskar scored simply 36 runs from 174 balls, carrying his bat by way of the innings as India fell nicely wanting England’s large 334-run complete. Ghavri revealed that the dressing room was filled with frustration, but Gavaskar remained unaffected. After the match, when questioned about his strategy, Gavaskar gave a shocking rationalization.
“We, as Indian cricketers, didn’t know how you can play one-day cricket. Within the first match, England scored 334, however after we got here to bat, Sunil performed out all 60 overs in that exact match. So many instances, messages have been despatched, asking him to both speed up or get out, making an attempt to select the tempo. However Sunil Gavaskar was Sunil Gavaskar within the Nineteen Seventies. He would not hearken to anybody. He simply performed out Tony Grieg, Geoff Arnold, Chris Outdated and Bob Willis. The rationale he gave after the match was, ‘I used to be going through these guys, practising in opposition to them for the Check matches sooner or later’. There was turmoil within the dressing room. When our supervisor requested him, Gavaskar mentioned ‘Depart me alone’,” Ghavri advised Vickey Lalwani on his YouTube channel.
Sunil Gavaskar refuses to fulfill Prime Minister of India
The previous additionally shared one other exceptional story from a Check match on the Feroz Shah Kotla (now Arun Jaitley Stadium) in Delhi, the place former Prime Minister Morarji Desai had arrived to fulfill each groups. By the point he got here, India had already batted first, and Gavaskar was getting ready to stroll in. Whereas the remainder of the gamers stepped out for introductions, Gavaskar refused to fulfill the Prime Minister of India.
“Sunil Gavaskar was all set. Padded up. He was sitting within the dressing room and concentrating. Raj Singh Dungarpur was there, and within the meantime, he was concentrating. Sunil was about to exit and bat in a couple of minutes. Raj Singh mentioned ‘Come on, everybody. The Prime Minister is right here. The introduction will happen. It should take simply 2-3 minutes.’ Everyone went out, however Sunil mentioned, ‘I’m not coming’. He mentioned, ‘Let me focus. My batting is essential for me and my workforce.’ They left him alone. Sunil batted until tea, and scored some runs additionally. On the finish of the day’s play, we did not know that the PM had come to the dressing room solely to fulfill Gavaskar. That is how Sunil Gavaskar, in his prime, proper from 1971 to 1987, was at all times a champion. He may get away with homicide,” he added.
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