Harsh Thakor
First Class Star
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2012
- Runs
- 3,520
- Post of the Week
- 2
40 years ago on this day the cricket world witnessed one of its greatest epics.Sunil Gavaskar simply gave one of the most majestic displays of batting ever seen on a cricket field defining batting perfection at it's highest zenith.Few innings ever in the history of test cricket have led such a resurgence in a team .Gavaskar blended the technical skill of a surgeon with the concentration of a Buddhist monk and the temperament of a soldier.In the whole innings he did not concede a single chance.It is hard to even visualize a more clinical batting performance.Displayed mental resilience or concentration at it's optimum level..That day Gavaskar was simply a boat sailing in the most turbulent of seas travelling unperturbed .It was a sight to behold witnessing Gavaskar grinding himself to lay a carpet. like a sculpting a statue to perfection .For sheer grammar it was close to the best innings of all time and the best ever in a 4th innings.There is hardly an adjective that can describe the intensity of Gavaskar that day,with his batting resembling meditation,like a cocoon of concentration.Above all it enabled India to stage one of the greatest 4 th innings comebacks,if not the greatest ever in the history of the game.Now Gavaskar gave the final slap in the face to those critiques who rejected his stature as an all-time great batsmen or best opening batsmen in the world.
India started the 2nd innings with their backs to the wall chasing a record target of 438 runst o win to square the series.India had been outplayed for most of the series facing a humiliating defeat at Edgbaston.Gavaskar had been a model of consistency but still a really big innings was due from him.
Gavaskar started cautiously with partner Chetan Chauhan to enable India to reach 76-0 at the close of the 4th day.On the 5th day needing another 365 to win both the openers got down to business from the word go.Gavaskar punished every bad ball in his characteristic manner. while partner Chetan Chauhan played a perfect supporting role. as an accomplice.The opening stand was broken with 213 on the board.Vengsarkar now joined Gavaskar and the 2 took India within sight of a famous win taking India to 328-1 when the mandatory overs began.India needed around five and half runsper over to win and looked on target to coasting hom,e before the departure of Vengsarkar with the score at 366 after making a well compiled 52.India were still favourites before skipper Venkatraghvan made the gross blunder of sending in Kapil Dev before Vishwanath who held out on the ropes lashing out on the 1st ball.Next Yashpal Sharma came in who again fell cheaply before Vishwanath was ultimately sent in .With 8 overs to go and 49 needed Gavaskar eventually perished holding out to Gower off the bowling of Botham.It almost looked as though India 's victory prospects had dimmed or even diminished before Vishwanath launched a thrilling counter resurgence.With the artistry of a painter he dispatched 3 balls to the boundary and India again looked as though they were sailing home.To me at this point the game had its gravest fate.Vishy hit a bump ball which was caught by Brearley and was wrongly declared out.It was reminiscent of a weaver's hands being cut off giving the final touches to a dress .A few overs later Yashpal Sharma and Yujivender Singh were given doubtful LBW decisions and Venkataraghvan wrongly adjudged run out.In the final over India needed 13 runs still with 2 wickets remaining and played out for a draw,The umpires had come to the rescue of England to rob India of untold glory and morally thus it was 13 Englishman that played that day.
Still India had morally won the day and salvaged glory.After being so battered and overpowered India ressurected itself to come within touching distance of the pinnacle of glory as few teams ever did ..Although living in England at that time I can visualize the jubilation and elevation of spirit in the hearts of the people in India,with their pocket radios fixed on their ears.Every run or boundary of Gavaskar elevated the pulse or took the morale of the Indian people to its crescendo.It was reminiscent of a nation on the brink of a glorious victory against a great colonial power ,defining the spirit or pulse of the nation as few sportsman could ever do.Sadly India lost the series in the end but still won it's self respect.India came within 9 runs of achieving the record winning total in a4th innings which if acheived would have stood as a record till this day.Above all Gavaskar scored over 50 % of the team's runs which was remarkable.I still dream of a situation of Vishy giving the perfect finishing touches to take India across the line,giving the final icing to the cake whose foundation was laid by Sunny.There was hardly any criticism for the dubious umpiring decisions by the English media .Still India had won many a fan amongst the Englishman and in the final session even went on to the side of India,feeling they deserved to win. I was saddened that day by the unsporting tactics of the Englishman led by Mike Brearley,trying to slow down the game when India were cruising home.
After the game Len Hutton paid a big tribute to Gavaskar's knock as so did Jim Laker.They stated that it was proof that Gavaskar was the best opening batsmen in the world.Hutton also regarded Gavaskar as the best batsmen in the world .Mike Brearley described it as the most flawless exhibition of batting he ever witnessed where every good ball was treated on its merit and every bad ball dispatched for four.True there have been more attacking or artistic displays of stroke play.but considering the adverse circumstances faced few could ever match,let alone beat Gavaskar's herculean effort.Very hard to envisage even the likes of Viv Richards.Sachin Tendulkar or Virat Kohli equalling Sunny on that day.
Personally I rank this innings among the dozen best test innings of all time and 4 best ever in a run chase. Only Lara's unbeaten 153 v Australia and Kusar Perara's unbeaten 154 v South Africa in my book rank ahead and arguably Ben Stoke's latest 135 v Australia.Considering percentage of team's score it edged even Ben Stoke's effort recently.No doubt Gordon Greenidge gave a more breathtaking display when scoring 214 n.o at Lords taking domination to regions of the divine,but he hardly faced such a grave situation. Probably the bets innings ever by an opening batsmen in a run chase.
I rank India's performance as the best ever 4th innings effort in a draw among s the 3 best ever in a 4th innings run chase.
India started the 2nd innings with their backs to the wall chasing a record target of 438 runst o win to square the series.India had been outplayed for most of the series facing a humiliating defeat at Edgbaston.Gavaskar had been a model of consistency but still a really big innings was due from him.
Gavaskar started cautiously with partner Chetan Chauhan to enable India to reach 76-0 at the close of the 4th day.On the 5th day needing another 365 to win both the openers got down to business from the word go.Gavaskar punished every bad ball in his characteristic manner. while partner Chetan Chauhan played a perfect supporting role. as an accomplice.The opening stand was broken with 213 on the board.Vengsarkar now joined Gavaskar and the 2 took India within sight of a famous win taking India to 328-1 when the mandatory overs began.India needed around five and half runsper over to win and looked on target to coasting hom,e before the departure of Vengsarkar with the score at 366 after making a well compiled 52.India were still favourites before skipper Venkatraghvan made the gross blunder of sending in Kapil Dev before Vishwanath who held out on the ropes lashing out on the 1st ball.Next Yashpal Sharma came in who again fell cheaply before Vishwanath was ultimately sent in .With 8 overs to go and 49 needed Gavaskar eventually perished holding out to Gower off the bowling of Botham.It almost looked as though India 's victory prospects had dimmed or even diminished before Vishwanath launched a thrilling counter resurgence.With the artistry of a painter he dispatched 3 balls to the boundary and India again looked as though they were sailing home.To me at this point the game had its gravest fate.Vishy hit a bump ball which was caught by Brearley and was wrongly declared out.It was reminiscent of a weaver's hands being cut off giving the final touches to a dress .A few overs later Yashpal Sharma and Yujivender Singh were given doubtful LBW decisions and Venkataraghvan wrongly adjudged run out.In the final over India needed 13 runs still with 2 wickets remaining and played out for a draw,The umpires had come to the rescue of England to rob India of untold glory and morally thus it was 13 Englishman that played that day.
Still India had morally won the day and salvaged glory.After being so battered and overpowered India ressurected itself to come within touching distance of the pinnacle of glory as few teams ever did ..Although living in England at that time I can visualize the jubilation and elevation of spirit in the hearts of the people in India,with their pocket radios fixed on their ears.Every run or boundary of Gavaskar elevated the pulse or took the morale of the Indian people to its crescendo.It was reminiscent of a nation on the brink of a glorious victory against a great colonial power ,defining the spirit or pulse of the nation as few sportsman could ever do.Sadly India lost the series in the end but still won it's self respect.India came within 9 runs of achieving the record winning total in a4th innings which if acheived would have stood as a record till this day.Above all Gavaskar scored over 50 % of the team's runs which was remarkable.I still dream of a situation of Vishy giving the perfect finishing touches to take India across the line,giving the final icing to the cake whose foundation was laid by Sunny.There was hardly any criticism for the dubious umpiring decisions by the English media .Still India had won many a fan amongst the Englishman and in the final session even went on to the side of India,feeling they deserved to win. I was saddened that day by the unsporting tactics of the Englishman led by Mike Brearley,trying to slow down the game when India were cruising home.
After the game Len Hutton paid a big tribute to Gavaskar's knock as so did Jim Laker.They stated that it was proof that Gavaskar was the best opening batsmen in the world.Hutton also regarded Gavaskar as the best batsmen in the world .Mike Brearley described it as the most flawless exhibition of batting he ever witnessed where every good ball was treated on its merit and every bad ball dispatched for four.True there have been more attacking or artistic displays of stroke play.but considering the adverse circumstances faced few could ever match,let alone beat Gavaskar's herculean effort.Very hard to envisage even the likes of Viv Richards.Sachin Tendulkar or Virat Kohli equalling Sunny on that day.
Personally I rank this innings among the dozen best test innings of all time and 4 best ever in a run chase. Only Lara's unbeaten 153 v Australia and Kusar Perara's unbeaten 154 v South Africa in my book rank ahead and arguably Ben Stoke's latest 135 v Australia.Considering percentage of team's score it edged even Ben Stoke's effort recently.No doubt Gordon Greenidge gave a more breathtaking display when scoring 214 n.o at Lords taking domination to regions of the divine,but he hardly faced such a grave situation. Probably the bets innings ever by an opening batsmen in a run chase.
I rank India's performance as the best ever 4th innings effort in a draw among s the 3 best ever in a 4th innings run chase.
