Career timeline of the 'Little Master' - Sunil Gavaskar

10th July marks the birthday of one of the greatest opening batsmen who kept on creating world records for most of his career. The Little Master Sunil Gavaskar is one of the best sportspersons India has ever produced. He set world records during his career for the most Test runs and most Test centuries scored by any batsman that too against the mighty West Indian pace attack when helmets weren’t a part of the playing equipment.

Though he retired in 1987, he still stands at number 12 in the top run-getters list in Test history. Gavaskar turns 67 today and what better way to celebrate the day than having a look through his career:

– Born in Bombay in 1949, Sunil was named India’s Best Schoolboy Cricketer of the year in 1966.

– Gavaskar made his first-class debut for Vazir Sultan Colts XI against an XI from Dungarpur, in 1966/67.

– He was out for a duck in his debut game for Maharashtra against Karnataka in 1968/69 but 3 consecutive centuries after that led to his call up in the national squad for the West Indies tour in 1970/71.

Also read – 22 Facts about Sunil Gavaskar: The Little Master

– Sunil missed the first Test due to an infection but later piled up an unbelievable 774 runs in the 4 Tests that followed and helped India to its first ever series victory over West Indies. His 774 runs at 154.80 remains the most runs scored in a debut series by any batsman. Trinidad Calypso singer Lord Relator (Willard Harris) wrote a song in Gavaskar’s honor, the “Gavaskar Calypso”.

– Gavaskar could not match up to his debut series in the subsequent tour of England in 1971 and questions were raised on his worthiness in international cricket. He could manage only 144 runs at an average of 24 from three Tests.

– In the absence of regular captain Bishen Singh Bedi, who was suffering from a leg injury, Gavaskar led India in a Test for the first time in January 1976 against New Zealand during the first Test in Auckland. He scored 116 and 35*, ending the series with 266 runs at 66.33.

– On a tour of West Indies in 1975-76, he amassed 390 runs at 55.71 and smashed consecutive centuries in the second and third tests.

– Though Gavaskar scored his first 8 Test centuries away, his first hundred in India came at his home ground the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in a win against New Zealand in November 1976.

– He recorded three consecutive second innings centuries on a tour of Australia in 1977-78 but it was not enough to save the series which India lost 3-2.

– Gavaskar racked up 447 runs at an average of 89.40 when India toured Pakistan in 1979, the first Test series between the arch rivals in 17 years. He scored 111 and 137 in the third Test at Karachi, becoming the first Indian to score twin centuries twice in his career.

– He was not a very successful captain but led India on many occasions in the 1970s and 80s. He was replaced by Kapil Dev as captain just six months before the 1983 World Cup which India went on to win against all odds.

Also read – 5 Indian Test wins in West Indies

– In the home series against Pakistan in 1983-84, he scored an unbeaten century in the first Test and two half centuries in the other matches. All the three matches played were drawn.

– With an unbeaten 236 against West Indies at Madras in December 1983, Gavaskar surpassed Sir Don Bradman’s tally of 29 Test hundreds. It was his 30th Test hundred and the 3rd double hundred from 99 Tests.

– He was in great form during the 1985-86 tour of Australia, scoring an unbeaten 166 in the first Test and 172 in the third Test, ending the series with 353 runs at an average of 117. But India failed to capitalize and all the three Tests ended in draws.

– Gavaskar played his last Test series against Pakistan in 1987 and retired after the 1987 Cricket World Cup that was held in India. His innings of 63 in the fourth Test at Ahmedabad saw him reach the 10,000 run mark, the first batsman to do so. India lost the fifth Test at Bangalore after Gavaskar was dismissed for 96 in the second innings and conceded the series 1-0 to Pakistan.