Harsha Bhogle’s India’s Top 25 - Ep 15: Sunny Brings The Sunshine In ‘71

[@R.MadridMessi-Cr7Barca]

Sunil Gavaskar made his debut during the 1971 tour of the West Indies & it became one of cricket’s most famous stories. In just 4 matches he scored an incredible 774 runs with 4 centuries 3 fifties & a top score of 220. He faced the dangerous West Indian fast bowlers without a helmet & showed that Indian players could match the best in the world. His performances even inspired a calypso song by Lord Relator which became a part of cricket history. Over time Gavaskar achieved many milestones. He was the first player to score 10000 Test runs & hit 34 centuries a record that lasted for years. Today some criticize his commentary but no one doubts his legacy as one of the greatest openers in cricket. He stood firm against the toughest bowlers showing skill & determination & became a cricketing legend. For Indian fans in the 1970s & 80s Gavaskar was a symbol of hope. During a time when India’s team wasn’t very strong his batting gave the team a fighting chance. His strike rate of 62 may seem slow today but it was normal for his time alongside players like Gordon Greenidge & Desmond Haynes. Gavaskar’s cautious style showed how much responsibility he carried in a team with weak batting depth. If Gavaskar had played in a stronger team or in today’s aggressive cricket era he would have done just as well. Some critics mention his slow 36*(174) in the 1975 World Cup but they forget how he could adapt like his 87-ball century in 1987. Gavaskar’s greatness was in his technique his ability to adjust to any situation & his consistency. For Indian fans, Gavaskar was more than a cricketer. He was the voice of Indian cricket for decades..through his commentary, columns & books.

[@KarthikKumar-g4v]

The only differences between Gavaskar and Sachin were of popularity and flamboyance. Admittedly, He could not get nearly as much popularity as Sachin or probably wasn't as flamboyant as Sachin was compared to his peers but other than that he was everything Indian Cricket team could have wished for during arguably the most important formative years of Indian Cricket. Captain Ajit Wadekar could not even have made a wish for a better batsman than Gavaskar had a Genie been granting him one not because Gavaskar was a perfect batsman but because Indian Cricket could not even think to such extents in those years. In those years, He came and stood tall against not only those absolute beasts of WI Pace Quartets but also the likes of Lillee, Thomson, Imran, Hadlee, Botham and this list goes on and on. If Sachin is always regarded better than Virat because of the quality of bowlers he faced, then Gavaskar beats Sachin in that department Darkseidly. Even if you put the pitches, pace, rules and conditions aside just simply skimming through the all time list of bowlers with best bowling average would be enough. Its full of the bowlers of Gavaskar era. That's how good Gavaskar was. He was a lone warrior many a times battling through injuries and batting for hours sometimes days but then again what's a cricketing career without partnerships. He was fortunate enough to have Gundappa Viswanath alongside him and they both just shattered records for India that time. Gavaskar was so ahead of his time that for a long time only him and Border had 10000 test runs. Ohh there are just endless things about his greatness. I just hope future generations do not remember him as just another great player of the past but when they take his name an image of his charcter filled with grit, courage and determination draw before them for he is a pioneer who led the path of Indian cricket fowards greatness.

[@Kapil_Choudhary]

I never got to watch SunnyG play. But for me, and many of my generation, he will be the legend who even after over 5 decades in the game, never lost his child-like enthusiasm!! The way he jumped up & down like a child at the MCG after Virat did his thing 🥰🥰 The way he ran up to Dhoni to get his shirt autographed!! Even his rendition of "Mere desh ki dharti" after Neeraj Chopra won his historic Tokyo gold. And many more moments... And of course his commentary... One may or may not agree with all 100% of his comments, but he always wore his heart on his sleeve and had an incredible ability to show foreign commentators the mirror when they were being hypocritical, especially the English & Aussies. Sunny sir, you are a legend and a role model...not just for your cricket and your commentary, but also for your patriotism and child-like love of the game!! Thank you for everything!!

[@VembarMuralidhar]

Chetan Sharma clean bowled Ken Rutherford, Ian Smith and Ewan Charfield in that order to claim the first ever hatrick in a World Cup match..

[@Shiv19790416]

Greatest Test batter from India and worlds’ best opening batsman ! My personal favourite!

[@73vijay]

Chetan Sharma took the hatrick

[@parthadebdatta6650]

It was Chetan Sharma who made a hat trick in 1987 WC match against NZ.

[@ugochihelen6910]

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[@IssoufOuare]

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[@hannabas8198]

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[@IssoufOuare]

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[@IssoufOuare]

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[@IssoufOuare]

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[@Saikrishnan321]

I wish you had continued with his contribution as a commentator and a respected voice in Indian cricket. His acumen in inventing different types of helmets and arm guards. There is more to this man which this 7 min video can cover.

[@join2manish]

Legend Gavaskar

[@azzurisaha]

Chetan Sharma took the hattrick in that match

[@maidktwo]

Chetan Sharma took the hattrick in 1987 match against New Zealand

[@varpandey]

Chetan sharma took hat trick in ind vs nz match

[@ishanmukhopadhyay6264]

Maybe we should reflect with shame that in this country where you are born makes such a difference. Imagine how many fishermen's sons have missed out over the years.

[@jaydipbhattacharya746]

Chetan Sharm made Hatric in that match 1987 Reliance World cup

[@HassanMahmmod-m1r]

🤔🤗💝😎👍👍👍👍

[@sethunm]

No.1 will be the 83 world cup victory. Any guesses which will be No.2? - my guess is "Sachin Tendulkar" or "Ranji Trophy"..

[@astalavistababy-g5o]

Gavaskar captured only 1 wicket in Test cricket and only 1 wicket in ODI - both of the same batsman. Who was that batsman ?

[@arindamnath468]

Zaheer

[@astalavistababy-g5o]

@@arindamnath468 Correct. Zaheer Abbas for 96 in Test and 48 in ODI.

[@kamat_ameya]

Was it chetan sharma who took that hattrick?

[@abeerandanimals8512]

Chetan Sharma

[@varadarajgowdru5881]

And some Third class PR of lengend troll sunny ji😢

[@umajain2854]

😊

[@arijitsarkar977]

Chetan Sharma.

[@RestAssured316]

Sunil Benstokes Gavaskar

[@apal4259]

😂 right on the day Pant lit up the scg

[@adhachol]

Harsha - expect better from you as a cricket journalist - 2 things - in his first series NO proper WI bowler was around as they left for World Series by Packer. Any donkey can look at scorecards- happy to share - what did he really contribute in WC 83 win? Infact was negative

[@karthikeyan30892]

@Harsha can't a fisher woman's son become a cricketer in IND? Don't know whom to blame: the system or ur choice of words 🤦‍♂️👎

[@324jainvedanta2]

😊

[@sandeepnavada6402]

Chetan sharma

[@adityakumarjha8796]

Chetan Sharma

[@GreatestDemon-v7f]

Chetan Sharma

[@debangneel]

Chetan Sharma

[@srinivasraosreekantapuram9837]

Chetan Sharma

[@hariharanathkristipati9207]

Chetan sharma

[@mohammadshadab3515]

Chetan Sharma

[@shaunsequeira1]

Chetan Sharma

[@prachetashghosh1436]

Chetan Sharma