Sunil Gavaskar, a famous Indian cricket player, celebrated his 75th birthday recently. He was known for his strong skills as an opening batsman. During his career, he played 125 Test matches and 108 One Day Internationals (ODIs) for India. In Tests, he scored 10,122 runs, including his highest score of 236 not out. He also scored 34 centuries and 45 fifties in Tests. In ODIs, he scored 3,092 runs with an unbeaten 103 as his highest score. Gavaskar was born in Mumbai and played 348 First-Class matches in total, scoring 25,834 runs with 81 centuries, 105 half-centuries, and even achieving a triple-century.
1. 236 not out vs West Indies, 1983:
In the last match of West Indies’ tour of India in Chennai, Sunil Gavaskar scored his highest Test score of 236 runs. This was the highest score by an Indian batter at that time. He faced 425 balls and batted for 644 minutes. Vivian Richards, the West Indies great, jokingly said, “Man, it doesn’t matter when you start batting, your score is still zero,” as Gavaskar came in to bat when India were 0 for 2. This remarkable innings happened on the final day of the Test match. Despite Gavaskar’s performance, India drew the match but lost the series 3-0.
He also scored 220 runs in the second innings of a Test match against West Indies in Port of Spain in 1971.
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2. 220 vs West Indies, 1971:
In the last game of India’s tour of the West Indies, India only needed to not lose to win their first-ever series against the West Indies. It was Gavaskar’s first Test series, and he ensured India achieved this by scoring 220 runs in the second innings in Port of Spain. His amazing performance lasted 529 minutes against the West Indian bowlers. India won the series 1-0.
In the Port of Spain Test in 1971, Gavaskar also scored 124 runs in the first innings.
3. 124 vs West Indies, 1971:
In the Test match in Port of Spain, Sunil Gavaskar scored 124 runs with 11 boundaries, helping India reach a challenging total of 360 in their first innings against the West Indies.
During the 1987 World Cup match against New Zealand, Gavaskar played aggressively, scoring 103 not out from 88 balls.
4. 103 not out vs New Zealand, 1987:
In a World Cup match against New Zealand, Sunil Gavaskar scored his first-ever hundred in one-day internationals, which was unexpected given his usual style of play. Opening the innings for India in Nagpur, he scored a quick hundred off 88 balls, hitting 10 fours and three sixes. His unbeaten century played a crucial role as India chased 222 runs to enter the semifinals.
In another notable innings, Gavaskar scored 221 runs against England at the Oval.
5. 221 vs England, 1979:
In one of his best innings, Gavaskar scored 221 runs while India tried to chase down a huge target of 438 runs against England at the Oval. India came close, falling just nine runs short, and the match ended in a draw. Gavaskar partnered with Chetan Chauhan for a 213-run opening stand and later with Dilip Vengsarkar for 153 runs. His batting lasted for 490 minutes and included 21 boundaries (fours). In another match, he scored 102 runs against West Indies in Port of Spain in 1976.
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6. 102 vs West Indies, 1976:
Gavaskar kept his record of scoring well against West Indies in Port of Spain. He played a key role in India’s successful chase of 403 runs. Gavaskar scored 102 runs, setting up the chase on a pitch that became slower and harder to score on. Gundappa Viswanath also scored a hundred without getting out, helping India complete the chase.
In Bengaluru, Gavaskar scored 96 runs against Pakistan on a very difficult pitch.
7. 96 vs Pakistan, 1987:
On a challenging cricket field in Bengaluru, where many Indian batters found it hard to score, Gavaskar played exceptionally well. He scored 96 runs while India tried to chase a target of 221 runs against Pakistan. Even though India lost by 16 runs, Gavaskar’s batting gave hope. He spent 320 minutes at the crease, facing 264 balls with strong defensive skills. Gavaskar showed his talent earlier by scoring his first Test century against Australia in Brisbane.
8. 113 vs Australia, 1977:
In another important cricket match, India needed to score 341 runs to win against Australia. Gavaskar played exceptionally well to keep India in the game. He scored his first century against Australia in Brisbane and batted for nearly 320 minutes. However, his team couldn’t win because the other batsmen didn’t support him enough. They ended up 17 runs short of the target. Gavaskar also scored 127 not out against Pakistan, becoming the first Indian to achieve this in Test cricket.
9. 127 not out vs Pakistan, 1983:
Gavaskar scored 127 runs without getting out and was the first Indian to do so in Test cricket. In that match, the other Indian batters struggled against Imran Khan, a skilled Pakistani bowler. Gavaskar faced a tough challenge from Imran but managed to survive. His performance in Faisalabad was praised as outstanding despite the team’s overall struggle, earning him the nickname ’emperor among the ruins’. He also scored a century in Delhi against the West Indies, achieving this milestone in just 94 balls.
10. 121 vs West Indies, 1983:
Gavaskar scored his hundred in Delhi against a strong West Indian team in just 94 balls, making it the fifth fastest Test century at that time. This aggressive innings was his 29th Test century, a record previously held only by Donald Bradman.
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