Legendary Indian batter Sunil Gavaskar has always been celebrated as one of the greatest batters to have played Test cricket. Recently, his former India teammate Karsan Ghavri shared unheard stories that reveal just how much power and prestige Gavaskar had during his playing days.
From 1971 to 1987, Gavaskar was the backbone of Indian batting. His ability to take on the world-class fast bowlers and record historic innings gave him a huge status in Indian cricket. Ghavri recalled that one of the most infamous moments in Gavaskar's career came during the 1975 World Cup against England. Gavaskar scored just 36 runs from 174 balls, carrying his bat through the innings as India fell well short of England's massive 334-run total. Ghavri revealed that the dressing room was full of frustration, yet Gavaskar remained unaffected. After the match, when questioned about his approach, Gavaskar gave a stunning explanation.
The former also shared another remarkable story from a Test match at the Feroz Shah Kotla now Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, where former Prime Minister Morarji Desai had arrived to meet both teams. By the time he came, India had already batted first, and Gavaskar was preparing to walk in. While the rest of the players stepped out for introductions, Gavaskar refused to meet the Prime Minister of India.