Player Profile
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Sunil Manohar Gavaskar |
| Born | 10 July 1949 |
| Country | India |
| Batting Style | Right-Hand Bat |
| Role | Opening Batsman |
| International Career | 1971–1987 |
| Test Debut | vs West Indies, 1971 |
| ODI Debut | vs England, 1974 |
| ICC Hall of Fame | Inducted in 2009 |
Gavaskar is widely regarded as one of the greatest opening batsmen in cricket history and was the first player to score 10,000 runs in Test cricket.
Career Statistics
Test Cricket
| Matches | Runs | Average | 100s | 50s | Highest Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 125 | 10,122 | 51.12 | 34 | 45 | 236* |
He became the first cricketer to cross 10,000 Test runs and finished with 34 Test centuries.
ODI Cricket
| Matches | Runs | Average | 100s | 50s | Highest Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 108 | 3,092 | 35.13 | 1 | 27 | 103* |
His only ODI century came during the 1987 Cricket World Cup against New Zealand.
Major Career Records
- First player in history to score 10,000 Test runs.
- First batsman to score 34 Test centuries.
- Held the world record for most Test centuries for nearly 20 years.
- First Indian non-wicketkeeper to take 100 Test catches.
- Scored centuries in both innings of a Test match three times, a record he shares with only a few elite players.
Famous Records
Debut Series Record
During his debut Test series against the West Indies in 1971, Gavaskar scored 774 runs, which remains one of the greatest debut series performances in cricket history.
Debut Series Scores
- 65
- 67*
- 116
- 64*
- 1
- 117
- 124
- 220
Total: 774 Runs
Records vs West Indies
The West Indies possessed one of the most feared pace attacks in cricket history.
Yet Gavaskar scored:
| Opponent | Runs | Average | Centuries |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Indies | 2,749 | 65.45 | 13 |
These remain among the greatest batting numbers recorded against the West Indies.
Captaincy Record
| Format | Matches as Captain |
|---|---|
| Test Cricket | 47 |
| ODI Cricket | 37 |
Notable achievement:
- Led India to a historic 2–0 Test series victory over Pakistan in 1979–80.
Awards & Honors
- CC Cricket Hall of Fame (2009)
- Wisden Cricketer of the Year (1980)
- One of India’s greatest Test batsmen of all time.
Interesting Facts
- Only opener in cricket history to score more than 10,000 Test runs during his era.
- Highest Test score: 236* against West Indies.
- Only cricketer to register Test century partnerships with 18 different players.
- One of the few players to score centuries in both innings of a Test match on three occasions.
FAQs
- How many runs did Sunil Gavaskar score in Test cricket?
Sunil Gavaskar scored 10,122 Test runs in 125 matches. - How many Test centuries did Sunil Gavaskar score?
He scored 34 Test centuries. - What is Sunil Gavaskar’s highest Test score?
His highest Test score is 236 not out against the West Indies. - Why is Sunil Gavaskar famous?
He was the first cricketer to score 10,000 Test runs and was one of the greatest opening batsmen in cricket history. - Is Sunil Gavaskar in the ICC Hall of Fame?
Yes, he was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2009.
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