On July 10th, we commemorate the birthday of the legendary Sunil Gavaskar, whose name will shimmer as long as the game of cricket lasts; like an inextinguishable star in the galaxy.
Indian cricket virtually revolved around Gavaskar, who singlehandedly bore its mantle. Not many batsmen faced the lethal fast bowling as Sunny did, who broke batting records at a tempo unscaled since Bradman.
Gavaskar possessed powers of concentration at a magnitude unparalleled, with his technique flawless, capable of mastering all types of bowling in any conditions. His defence was impregnable and drives impeccable. In combating express pace, spin or the moving ball, Sunny was equally adept.
I never saw a batsman leave a ball with such profound judgement as Sunil. He was equally productive on the back and front foot, and possessed every stroke in the book.
Sunil Gavaskar was great in overcoming adversity
In overcoming adversity, I doubt Gavaskar had an equal. Here are some of his memorable career moments:
Gavaskar’s debut series in West Indies in 1971 was the most prolific ever from a debutant. He compiled 774 runs at 154.80. He was with Dilip Sardesai, the architect of India winning its first series ever in West Indies. Till this day, Gary Sobers maintains that he never saw an overseas batsman bat better in the Caribbean or anywhere.
At Old Trafford in 1974, Gavaskar’s 57 and 101, in overcast conditions, took technical skill to zones rarely climbed against the moving ball in overcast conditions.
In West Indies in 1976, Gavaskar scored two centuries at an average of 55.71. He was the architect of India making the then-record run chase at Trinidad when India chased 406 runs in the fourth innings. His 156 in the second Test all-but-won India the match but for intervention of rain and bad umpiring decisions.
In Australia in 1977-78, Gavaskar scored three centuries in the first three Tests, proving his skill on bouncy strips.
In Pakistan in 1978-79, Sunny averaged 89.40, scoring 447 runs with two centuries. He was grit and consistency personified, scoring a century in each innings in the final game at Karachi, and withstanding Imran Khan at his fearsome best better than any batsman in the world.
In a home series against West Indies in 1978-79, Gavaskar achieved mythical heights, scoring 732 runs at 91.5 with four centuries. His 205 runs at Mumbai was a masterpiece, blending technique and strokeplay to perfection. His back-to-back hundreds at Kolkata all-but-won the third Test.
In England in 1979, he scored an epic 221 off 443 balls at The Oval. It was a manifestation of cricketing perfection and never-say-die spirit in sport. Every bad ball was dispatched for a four and every good ball treated on merit.
Gavaskar resurrected India from dire straits to the pinnacle of glory, resembling an architect carving a famous monument with his tool chiselled to perfection. Questionable umpiring decisions robbed India of a famous win after Sunny was dismissed with India just 49 runs adrift from the record fourth innings target of 438 runs.
In 1979-80, Gavaskar was the architect of India winning its first series against Pakistan for 28 years. He grinded it out in the middle for eight hours to score 166 at Madras and win the match for India.
For the first time in his career, Gavaskar faced such sensational loss of form on the tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1980-81, scoring only one 50. Also, he controversially protested against the decision to give him out LBW after scoring 70 in the third Test at Melbourne, which ironically India went on to win.
In England in 1982, he was unsuccessful but for a classical 48 at Lords, out of total of 128 against the moving ball, brilliantly fending of short pitched deliveries.
Facing Imran Khan at his best in Pakistan in 1982-83, Gavaskar scored a classical unbeaten 127 at Faisalabad and elegant 83 at Lahore. In a bat-for-your-life scenario, his Faisalabad knock was an epic.
He was a failure on the tour of West Indies in 1982-83 apart from a classical 90 in the 2nd ODI and unbeaten 147 at Georgetown. Noteworthy that his 90 in the ODI at Guyana secured India it’s first ever win in an ODI against the Calypsos.
In the home series v West Indies in 1983-84, his 121 at Delhi was scored in scintillating style reaching his hundred of a mere 94 balls.. At Ahmedabad, his 90 ranks amongst the masterpieces by an opening batsman on a bad wicket. His unbeaten 236 in dead rubber at Madras reminded one of a comeback of Muhammad Ali, taking determination and technical fortitude to scales of Everest.
In his farewell series in 1986-87, playing Pakistan at home on a broken pitch at Bangalore he scored 96, where he resembled a farmer digging a well in a desert. Sunny took batting craft to a height untranscended on a wicket with the ball turning square. India lost the game by 16 runs, with the exit of Sunil literally sealing the hopes of an Indian win.
Gavaskar bid farewell to his international career with a monumental 188 in a match between an MCC XI and World XI in 1987. It was an epic with technical virtuosity.
Gavaskar ended his Test career scoring a then-record 10,122 runs and 34 centuries at an average of 51.12 in 125 matches and 214 innings. At one stage, he scored a century every five innings, scored over 1,000 runs in a calendar year on four occasions, and a century in both innings of a game thrice.
In ODIs, he scored 3092 runs at an average of 35.13, with one century and 27 fifties.
Weaknesses/Arguments against Sunil Gavaskar
It must be stated that Gavaskar averaged only 43.6 in Tests won and very few of his centuries won games for India. His partner, Gundappa Vishwanath, was more effective in match winning causes, averaging 49. I am critical of Gavaskar often being over defensive and not escalating the tempo of the game when batting unlike batsmen like Virender Sehwag.
It is an aberration of cricket writers when they state that Gavaskar was the best performer against the Carribean pace battery. Gavaskar was not as successful against the top Caribbean pace attack as batsman like Greg Chappell, Alan Border, Graham Gooch and Mohinder Amarnath. Sunny scored 8 of his 13 centuries against West Indies against the weaker bowling attacks in 1970-71 and 1978-79. He also scored hundreds against a second string Australian attack in 1977-78 and 1979. He was relatively inconsistent against the Carribean pace quartet away and at home in 1983-84 averaging around 43.
Role as Captain
As a skipper he was shrewd but at times ultra-defensive. India did defeat Pakistan at home in 1979-80 and England in 1981-82 and drew a rubber for the first time on Australian soil. He also led India to win the World Championship of Cricket in Australia in 1985 which was a remarkable achievement. However, India also faced humiliating defeats in Pakistan in 1982-83 and series losses against England at home and away.
Evaluation of Greatness
In my view, Bradman or Tendulkar would not have combated ferocious pace or short pitched bowling against a new ball, as courageously or with as adept skill, that too without wearing a helmet, as Gavaskar. However, I would place both ahead of Sunny, because of sheer impact.
After Bradman, I cannot envisage a batsman re-writingRtest match record books within such a short span of time as Gavaskar. On pure statistical merit taking into account bowling attacks faced, there is a strong case for Gavaskar being rated the best batsman of his time, second-best Test match batsman to Bradman and best opener ever. However aesthetic or X-factor is where he arguably lost out to the likes of Tendulkar, Lara, Viv Richards or Sobers, who all had more inherent attacking ability to turn games.
Weighing all factors, Gavaskar ranks at eighth place amongst all–time great batsmen, behind Bradman, Hobbs, Viv Richards, Lara, Tendulkar, Sobers, and Hammond and on par with Hutton. Amongst opening batsmen, I place him in third place behind Jack Hobbs and Barry Richards.
Hobbs was more proven on bad wickets and more impactful while Barry was more explosive and a better match-winner. Still, it is almost impossible to make a comparison of batsmen from different eras with such variance in conditions. I assert that even if there were more gifted batsmen, Gavaskar had features to his batting character that no batsman could eclipse.
