Sunil “Sunny” Manohar Gavaskar is a world cricket legend and one of the finest openers to have ever graced the game.
In my youth, I contributed to the letters-to-the-editor section of a prestigious daily newspaper, the Times of India. Dr. Harish Khare, a scholarly man with a PhD. from Yale, was the editorial gatekeeper. While many of my submissions weren’t treated favorably, I remember one that was.
It was an article about the retirement of Sunil “Sunny” Manohar Gavaskar. Gavaskar was a living legend of world cricket, one of the finest openers ever to grace the game. Sunny decided to hang up his boots after 17 years of international cricket.
Imran Khan, the legendary Pakistani cricketer, considered Gavaskar to be special because of how he stood up to the best fast bowlers of that era, including Jeff Thomson, Dennis Lillee, Ian Botham, Richard Hadlee, Rodney Hogg, Sylvester Clarke, Malcolm Marshall, Colin Croft, Andy Roberts, Joel Garner, Courtney Walsh, Wasim Akram, and John Snow.
Photo courtesy of Caught at Point
As an opener, Sunny’s job was to give India a fresh start by putting runs on the scoreboard. He did, largely because Sunny was a shrewd tactician, a compact player, and he had an intellect for the game.
Sunny played the role of sheet anchor and played every ball on merit. He would nudge the ball around for quick singles and run hard to put pressure on the fielders. The intent, of course, was to convert those singles into two runs.
Sunny was ably supported by his teammate, the late, great Chetan Chauhan. I watched them play on TV and marveled at how they fended off beamers and bouncers, and against bowlers who towered above them.
Gavaskar was no slow poke, and he could also hit the odd boundary and six out into the stands. Gavaskar was also good against spin and would tackle Abdul Qadir, Derek Underwood, and John Emburey with a watchful eye. With impeccable footwork, Sunny would dance down the pitch and hit them through the covers for a sparkling boundary. Sometimes, he would loft the ball over the bowler’s head for a six.
Sunny knew the team relied on him, so he did not want to take risks and lose his wicket. In response, opposition bowlers often joined a huddle to discuss ways to get Sunny to walk back to the pavilion. Despite the strategy they came up with, Sunny often took the game away from them.
Sunny is now in his 70s, and he contributes to cricket through books, columns, interviews, and public appearances. I salute him and wish him a long and happy life.
