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MUMBAI, Maharashtra / The Hindu / Sport / July 10, 2009
By G. Viswanath
India’s cricket batting legend Sunil Manohar Gavaskar turns 60 on Friday. According to his close friends, Gavaskar’s family will mark the occasion by visiting Prasanthi Nilayam at Puttaparthi.
On Wednesday, Gavaskar chaired the BCCI’s Technical Committee meeting, weighing in on steps for the betterment of Indian domestic cricket, before leaving for Bangalore on his way to Puttaparthi.
Eight days ago at the C.K. Nayudu Room, Cricket Club of India, his maternal uncle, Madhav Mantri had reminded the select gathering that his famous nephew would be turning 60 and everyone should wish and pray that Sunil Gavaskar hits a century in life, too. The audience responded fittingly.
HIS MAIN MAN: Ajit Wadekar has some interesting stories about Gavaskar, the batting mainstay in the Indian team which toured the West Indies in 1971. The Hindu Photo Archives
Cricketers of different generations, including opponents from club to international level, and past have acknowledged his wonderful deeds with the willow in a career spanning 17 years and 125 Tests (10,122 runs) and 108 one-day internationals (3092 runs).
He began with two half centuries in his debut Test at Port of Spain, Trinidad — 65 and 67 not out and India won. He had his slice of luck though. It was while touching upon serious aspects of cricket at the inaugural Dilip Sardesai Memorial Cricket Lecture on July 2 that Gavaskar said: “One should not undermine the luck factor” in the glorious game.
Legendary stuff
“I accept the views of Sunny, about the luck factor. But Sunny was made of legendary stuff anyway,” said Ajit Wadekar, captain of the Indian team in the West Indies in 1971.
When Gavaskar carved a half-century in the first innings of the second Test at Port of Spain in 1971, the Mumbai players in the Indian team began to pray that he should not proceed to get a century on debut!
“We had this superstition that, like Deepak Shodhan and Hanumant Singh, Sunny may not score a second Test century. The other players soon joined the Mumbai players. We prayed for him to get out,” revealed Wadekar.
In fact, it was also the elegant, attacking left-hander’s first stint as captain with the then chairman of the national selection committee Vijay Merchant choosing Wadekar ahead of Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi.
Now 68, Wadekar, who returned after a visit to UK and USA recently recalls a few incidents on that famous series-winning tour, involving Gavaskar, a newcomer into the team then.
“As captain, I had to run team meetings and Sunny and Ekki (Solkar) were always five minutes early while some of the seniors were late. I had to find a way to make sure that all the players were on time for the meetings. And this is how I did that. I chided Sunny and Ekki for reporting late for the team meetings in the presence of the others. Sunny was actually perplexed; after two or three such meetings, he came to my room and wanted to know the reason for my persistent firing.
“Sunny has a terrific sense of humour, but he can be cranky sometimes and I explained to him that there was nothing wrong with him and Ekki and that it was a message meant for some of the seniors to report for team meetings on time.”
Wadekar also recounted another little anecdote.
“India was leading 1-0 in the series and I told him that we should not give enough time for the West Indies to bat. He was upset when Govindraj told him at the drinks interval that he should not have exposed Abid Ali and began to throw his bat at everything, but fortunately did not get out.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Related report: Gulf News, Dubai
'Gavaskar, 60? Never, he doesn't look old enough'
Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar.
The two legends of Indian cricket have shared a
wonderful relationship down the years.
Reuters file
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
“At tea, I took him to task for batting like that. He began to weep, mentioning what had happened during the drinks break, pointing out that he was being held responsible for Ali’s dismissal.
India’s greatest batter
“Well, Sunny has held me in high regard and he still respects me. I think so. He’s India’s greatest batsman,” said Wadekar.
Gavaskar has also done his bit for domestic cricket.
He has been the Chairman of the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore and was Chairman of the Cricket Committee of the International Cricket Council for many years. He continues to guide Indian cricket as Chairman of the BCCI’s Technical Committee. Gavaskar has been chiefly responsible for the Ranji Trophy to be played in the Elite Group (top 15 teams) and Plate Group (12 teams) format. [
rc]
Copyright © 2009, The Hindu
HIS MAIN MAN: Ajit Wadekar has some interesting stories about Gavaskar, the batting mainstay in the Indian team which toured the West Indies in 1971. The Hindu Photo Archives
Cricketers of different generations, including opponents from club to international level, and past have acknowledged his wonderful deeds with the willow in a career spanning 17 years and 125 Tests (10,122 runs) and 108 one-day internationals (3092 runs).
He began with two half centuries in his debut Test at Port of Spain, Trinidad — 65 and 67 not out and India won. He had his slice of luck though. It was while touching upon serious aspects of cricket at the inaugural Dilip Sardesai Memorial Cricket Lecture on July 2 that Gavaskar said: “One should not undermine the luck factor” in the glorious game.
Legendary stuff
“I accept the views of Sunny, about the luck factor. But Sunny was made of legendary stuff anyway,” said Ajit Wadekar, captain of the Indian team in the West Indies in 1971.
When Gavaskar carved a half-century in the first innings of the second Test at Port of Spain in 1971, the Mumbai players in the Indian team began to pray that he should not proceed to get a century on debut!
“We had this superstition that, like Deepak Shodhan and Hanumant Singh, Sunny may not score a second Test century. The other players soon joined the Mumbai players. We prayed for him to get out,” revealed Wadekar.
In fact, it was also the elegant, attacking left-hander’s first stint as captain with the then chairman of the national selection committee Vijay Merchant choosing Wadekar ahead of Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi.
Now 68, Wadekar, who returned after a visit to UK and USA recently recalls a few incidents on that famous series-winning tour, involving Gavaskar, a newcomer into the team then.
“As captain, I had to run team meetings and Sunny and Ekki (Solkar) were always five minutes early while some of the seniors were late. I had to find a way to make sure that all the players were on time for the meetings. And this is how I did that. I chided Sunny and Ekki for reporting late for the team meetings in the presence of the others. Sunny was actually perplexed; after two or three such meetings, he came to my room and wanted to know the reason for my persistent firing.
“Sunny has a terrific sense of humour, but he can be cranky sometimes and I explained to him that there was nothing wrong with him and Ekki and that it was a message meant for some of the seniors to report for team meetings on time.”
Wadekar also recounted another little anecdote.
“India was leading 1-0 in the series and I told him that we should not give enough time for the West Indies to bat. He was upset when Govindraj told him at the drinks interval that he should not have exposed Abid Ali and began to throw his bat at everything, but fortunately did not get out.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Related report: Gulf News, Dubai
'Gavaskar, 60? Never, he doesn't look old enough'
Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar.
The two legends of Indian cricket have shared a
wonderful relationship down the years.
Reuters file
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
“At tea, I took him to task for batting like that. He began to weep, mentioning what had happened during the drinks break, pointing out that he was being held responsible for Ali’s dismissal.
India’s greatest batter
“Well, Sunny has held me in high regard and he still respects me. I think so. He’s India’s greatest batsman,” said Wadekar.
Gavaskar has also done his bit for domestic cricket.
He has been the Chairman of the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore and was Chairman of the Cricket Committee of the International Cricket Council for many years. He continues to guide Indian cricket as Chairman of the BCCI’s Technical Committee. Gavaskar has been chiefly responsible for the Ranji Trophy to be played in the Elite Group (top 15 teams) and Plate Group (12 teams) format. [rc]
Copyright © 2009, The Hindu
