I just opened the cumulative scores list. Please help me understand how he is over rated.
You need to know a bit history for that. Let me sum up for you (though I don't like bringing stats time & again to defame a great).
1. Gavasker is most famous for his greatness against hostile fast bowling - which is not correct actually. He hardly played WI fearsome 4 attack - In 1971-72 he scored 774 runs against an WI attack which had 36 years old Sobers as opening bowler. That was the lean patch of WI cricket when they hardly had any bowler (If you click the links of the career, you 'll see apart from Sobers, hardly any name)
In 1974 WI came with only a pair of fast bowler - Roberts & Jullien (?) - Gavasker went AOWL
In 1976 IND chased 400+ at PoS, Gavasker (& a couple of others) did get a 100, but that WI attack only had a young Holding. That was a Test WI went with 3 spinners & Lloyd actually declared after discussing with his spinners - 3 of them (Insan Ali, Padmore & forgot the 3rd one) - for next 12 years only spinner played a single Test for WI - Butts, as a replacement of injured Lloyd.
1970s cricket was disturbed by WSC, for next WI Series Gavasker mastered a Packered reject WI side for 650+ with 4 centuries in 6 Tests - that WI side was missing their top 15 cricketers, barring Kalicharan. That attack didn't have Holding, Roberts, Garner, Croft, Clarke, Holder & Mosely. Only a 20 years old Marshall made his debut in a high scoring series where 6 Test produced only 1 result & rest 5 were high scoring draws.
Gavasker faced a full strength WI side in 1982-83 in WI - taking out his 147* in a high scoring draw at Guyana (which is traditionally the highest scoring ground in WI those days), he would have averaged under 15 in that Series. He played last time against WI was in 1983-84 at home against Marshal & Holding (Garner didn't come & Roberts hardly played) - his 236* (In deed a great knock) actually took his series total to 400+, in a 6 Test series.
2. Gavasker is credited among very few players having a 100 at every venue on mainland AUS (all the Test venues of his time, Hobert wasn't a Test venue then) - again massive, massive mis-leading bravado. In 1977-78, he took on a Packer reject AUS (Thompson was there, but he was mostly injured) - Lille, Maxwaker, Pascoe wasn't there & Hogg didn't debut. Try to find to the credentials of the bowlers he mastered for 3 Centuries. 1979-80 against AUS at hime, he again mastered 600+ in 6 Test with 4 hundreds, but that attack didn't have Lillee, Thompson, Pascoe or Hogg (? - sure about first 3). After the great generation of 70s, AUS went into a slump in mid 80s, one of the weakest ever AUS side & that too was hurt by the self exile of Rackman, Lawson, Aldermann & young McDermott was injured - AUS opened with Simon Davis & ........ in 1985-86 home series - Gavasker mastered 166 (out of 600/4 d) & 170+.
In between, only time Gavasker faced Lillee, Pascoe & Hogg was 1980-81; barring his 70 at 3rd Test, he would have ended 3 Test series with total less than 100 for the Series.
3. Against NZ, he has a century at Acuckland in 1975, a match that IND won & NZ was missing a certain name - RJ Hadlee. In 1979-80, he did face RJ - for a total of 135 in 3 Tests, at an average of..................
4. Gavasker had great record against PAK - but not so in the 1982-83 series when Imran was at his prime. He mastered a PAK attack of Azim Hafeez & forgot names in 1983 & had a great series in 1978 at home, when Khan was mostly injured. In between, he had a great Test at Karachi in 1978, I agree, one of few in a 125 Test career
5. Gavasker had relatively better outings in UK, made a great hundred in 1974 at Old Traford & 222 at Oval in 1979, but his majority of the runs against ENG was at home, that too not much in 1972 or 1976 when ENG had Willis, Snow, Old & Underwood at their prime. He roosted a poor English side in 1982 for 700+.............
Look, I have nothing personal against him, one of the all time greatest; but he simply wasn't the player he is credited for. Besides,he was the utmost selfish, vindictive & ill headed person. I give you 4 examples -
1. In 1975-76 when Pataudi retired, there were 2 incumbent for Indian Captaincy - Sunny & Bedi. Most of the management was for Bedi for his few years in County, Gavasker never liked that & he had a life time dig at BS whenever he got the chance. Later, Bombay lobby forced Bedi to resign on disciplinary grounds & a compromise choice (Venkat, from South) was picked.
2. A MCG 1980-81, Lillee got him LBW (probably he in-side edged that) & showed him the way - Gavasker declared, conceded the match (& series). It was Indian Manager Pataudi, that ran into the field & sent Chauhan back to batting for a match IND eventually won.
3. He had twice a mid pitch brawl with Fletcher & Zaheer - in a meaning less match, in last hour, both those Captains offered draws, Gavasker used his influence to home Umpire & made them continue the match till he reached his 100. Zaheer was damn upset, but he was good buddy of Sunny, not much happened there, but Fleatcher wasn't that sober then.
4. In 1984-85 5th Test, Azhar was 65* & could have got 4th century of his career (in 3rd Test, 2nd of the match - a record hold by Sunny) - he declared the innings giving a side leading 2-1 (ENG) to chase 250 in 40 overs & win it 3-1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5. In 1985-86, IND became the 1st Asian side coming very close to win a Test Series in AUS, at MCG IND needed 120+ with rain threatening around - Kapil was the Captain, who had just replaced Gavasker as Indian Captain. Do you know what Sunny did - he took 75 minutes & 50 balls to score 8, until rain saved AUS..........
Not to mention his 36* (60 overs).
Look, I again say, don't judge me with my Nationality or question my integrity, I love this game & do study lot on this from passion. You spoiled my Sunday morning yaar - we are smashing those chokers, sorry Proteus..........
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