On Sunil Gavaskar

"If I were forced to choose between Vishy & Sunny, for an imaginary team of mine, I'd love to have Vishy in my team, but.... I'd hate to have Sunny as my opponent."

Thus spake Milind Rege, whom I had met a few years ago (at an informal gathering at a common friend's place).

Milind knows best, as few have seen Gavaskar at closer quarters than this erudite cricketer, analyst, administrator & senior corporate executive (They were born in the same year & grew up together to become Ranji players for Bombay).

While there may have been players who have bludgeoned pace bowling more effectively, no one has negotiated it better than Sunil Manohar Gavaskar. To have played with poise & skill for almost two decades, during an era of fast bowling greats, is a minor miracle. And to do it, match after match, series after series, year after year, in a team that never boasted of more than one & a half fast-medium bowlers, is an achievement so monumental, that it boggles the mind.

It does not always take an express pacer to ruffle or hurt a batsman. Often, a fast-medium bowler, with that extra cock of the wrist or a sudden straightening of a partially-bent elbow, can cause a batsman to misjudge pace & bounce. Lesser batsmen have been hurt by genuine bouncers than ones who have ducked into deliveries that did not rise.

With no apprehension of any noteworthy retaliation from the Indian bowling attack, *every* fast & medium-pacer of Gavaskar's generation, when armed with a shiny new ball, stretched their backs & slung their shoulders that much more to unsettle the unquestionable bedrock of our batting line up. And when that bedrock is no taller than 65 inches, every second delivery made a beeline for his Adam's Apple. (in those days, bouncers weren't restricted & bowlers bowled to dismiss batsmen... not to contain them).

If this skill wasn't enough, he is also considered to be one of the greatest players of spin bowling in the history of the game.

Respectful birthday wishes from an incurably stricken and long-time admirer.