Sunil Gavaskar Biodata

Early career

Sunil made his first class debut for Vazir Sultan Colts XI against an XI from Dungarpur, in 1966/67, but remained in Bombay's Ranji Trophy squad for two further years without playing a match. An alumnus of Bombay's renown St. Xavier's College, he made his debut in the 1968/69 season against Karnataka. After missing the first Test due to an infected fingernail, he scored 61 and 67 not out in the second Test in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. Sunil also became the first Indian to make four centuries in one Test series, the second Indian after 'Vijay Hazare' to score two centuries in the same Test.

Cricket Career

In the year 1974–75 series against the West Indies was interrupted, playing in only the First and fifth and final Test of the series against the West Indies. Gavaskar scored 108 runs at 27, with an 86 at Bombay the closest the Indian public got to seeing a century. The Test was the start of a world record streak of 106 Test appearances. Sunil was not to score a century on home soil until November 1976. In an eight Test summer, three and five against New Zealand and England respectively, Gavaskar scored centuries in the first and last Tests of the season.

As A Captain

Gavaskar was captain of the Indian team on several occasions in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He was restored to the captaincy for the grueling 1979–80 season, with six Test home series against both Australia and Pakistan. The first two Tests against Australia were high scoring draws where only 45 wickets fell, with India taking a first innings lead in both after making scores over 400. In the year 1980–81 season saw he returned as captain for the Australasian tour, but it was to be the start of an unhappy reign for Gavaskar and India. He managed only 118 runs at 19.66 in the three Tests against Australia, but his impact in Australia was for a controversial incident.

Playing style of Sunil Gavaskar

Gavaskar was a fine slip fielder and his safe catching in the slips helped him become the first Indian to take over a hundred catches in Test matches. He opened the bowling for a short spell on occasions if only one pace bowler was playing. He had the ability of keeping the scoreboard ticking with unique shots such as the "late flick". Gavaskar almost went through his career without scoring a one-day century. He managed the 1987 World Cup, when he hit 103 not out against New Zealand in his penultimate ODI innings at Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground, Nagpur.