MUMBAI: Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar on Friday stated Aunshuman Gaekwad has given Indian cricket the whole lot as a participant, as a coach, as an administrator and as a selector.
Gavaskar additionally praised his former teammate for exhibiting guts towards the menacing West Indian quick bowlers early on in his profession.
During the launch of Gaekwad’s biography “Guts Amidst Bloodbath” right here on Friday on the Brabourne Stadium, Gavaskar recalled his days opening for India alongside the previous and the blow he took on his head throughout the Jamaica Test in 1976.
“With Aunshu being hit on the head, it was never a pleasant experience. The way he had been shaping up was unbelievable. We had won the previous Test, we had chased 400 which was a record, when we came into the last Test the series was 1-1.
“The West Indies and Clive Lloyd had been determined, they’d simply are available in from a hammering by Australia in Australia 5-1, he was determined to maintain his captaincy, to win,” Gavaskar said.
“He received the toss and requested us to bat first. On Day One at lunch, we had been collectively. At lunchtime, they will need to have had some dialogue and instantly the entire techniques modified. After lunch, Michael Holding, Wayne Daniel and all people began coming down the wicket, bowling 4 or 5 bounces and one beamer. It was a check of fireplace.
“Both of us were ducking and leaving as much as we could but beamers were the difficult one – they were not out-lawed at that stage. The pitch had a lot of bounce and carry, the ball would sometimes get off the length which is what happened to Aunshu. Before he could do anything, it struck him,” he added.
Gavaskar recalled how he accompanied Gaekwad to the hospital in an ambulance.
“We had to take him to a hospital. The fact that Aunshu showed the guts that he did, every time there was a series against the West Indies, Aunshu was always recalled to the team. If it was West Indies, it was Aunshu, but if it was some other series, it was some other partner… because of his guts.
“And so these are the heart we’ve got seen on the sector, guts to talk his thoughts off the sector as properly, which is why he’s what he’s – a really properly revered determine in Indian cricket,” he said.
Former India batter Gundappa Viswanath also recalled the same incident.
“In Jamaica, on the second day, over the last over, Mohinder (Amarnath) received out and I went in to bat. Just the third ball, I confronted off Michael (Holding), it simply rose and hit the sight display screen behind the wicketkeeper and got here again. Immediately (after), there was the drinks interval, I requested Aunshu, ‘what precisely occurred with that ball?’
“He said, ‘Sir, I have been playing since yesterday, I don’t know what is happening.’ Still after that, he kept playing, took blows all over his body and never flinched. That’s why it was the bravest innings. Even when he was hit on the ear and had to retire hurt, he never shied away and was behind the ball,” Viswanath stated.
Dilip Vengsarkar revealed Gaekwad’s nickname, Charlie, was apparently given by a bar woman on a tour to New Zealand.
“We were sitting in a bar. Everyone was ordering a drink. And the bar girl asked him: ‘What can I serve you, Charlie?’ I asked her why Charlie and she said he was wearing specs. That’s how he was nicknamed Charlie,” he remembered.
Vengsakar additionally recalled the Jamaica Test through which Gaekwad produced an exemplary show of braveness.
“One ball just took off and hit him straight on the ear. I could see he was really perturbed and told him whether he wanted to go inside. Then I could see blood coming out of his ear and I called for ice. Eknath Solkar was the 12th man, he came out with ice, he saw him and started shouting, ‘There is blood, there is blood!’ I told him, ‘Speak softly. Already I am scared, don’t scare me off more’.”
Gavaskar additionally praised his former teammate for exhibiting guts towards the menacing West Indian quick bowlers early on in his profession.
During the launch of Gaekwad’s biography “Guts Amidst Bloodbath” right here on Friday on the Brabourne Stadium, Gavaskar recalled his days opening for India alongside the previous and the blow he took on his head throughout the Jamaica Test in 1976.
“With Aunshu being hit on the head, it was never a pleasant experience. The way he had been shaping up was unbelievable. We had won the previous Test, we had chased 400 which was a record, when we came into the last Test the series was 1-1.
“The West Indies and Clive Lloyd had been determined, they’d simply are available in from a hammering by Australia in Australia 5-1, he was determined to maintain his captaincy, to win,” Gavaskar said.
“He received the toss and requested us to bat first. On Day One at lunch, we had been collectively. At lunchtime, they will need to have had some dialogue and instantly the entire techniques modified. After lunch, Michael Holding, Wayne Daniel and all people began coming down the wicket, bowling 4 or 5 bounces and one beamer. It was a check of fireplace.
“Both of us were ducking and leaving as much as we could but beamers were the difficult one – they were not out-lawed at that stage. The pitch had a lot of bounce and carry, the ball would sometimes get off the length which is what happened to Aunshu. Before he could do anything, it struck him,” he added.
Gavaskar recalled how he accompanied Gaekwad to the hospital in an ambulance.
“We had to take him to a hospital. The fact that Aunshu showed the guts that he did, every time there was a series against the West Indies, Aunshu was always recalled to the team. If it was West Indies, it was Aunshu, but if it was some other series, it was some other partner… because of his guts.
“And so these are the heart we’ve got seen on the sector, guts to talk his thoughts off the sector as properly, which is why he’s what he’s – a really properly revered determine in Indian cricket,” he said.
Former India batter Gundappa Viswanath also recalled the same incident.
“In Jamaica, on the second day, over the last over, Mohinder (Amarnath) received out and I went in to bat. Just the third ball, I confronted off Michael (Holding), it simply rose and hit the sight display screen behind the wicketkeeper and got here again. Immediately (after), there was the drinks interval, I requested Aunshu, ‘what precisely occurred with that ball?’
“He said, ‘Sir, I have been playing since yesterday, I don’t know what is happening.’ Still after that, he kept playing, took blows all over his body and never flinched. That’s why it was the bravest innings. Even when he was hit on the ear and had to retire hurt, he never shied away and was behind the ball,” Viswanath stated.
Dilip Vengsarkar revealed Gaekwad’s nickname, Charlie, was apparently given by a bar woman on a tour to New Zealand.
“We were sitting in a bar. Everyone was ordering a drink. And the bar girl asked him: ‘What can I serve you, Charlie?’ I asked her why Charlie and she said he was wearing specs. That’s how he was nicknamed Charlie,” he remembered.
Vengsakar additionally recalled the Jamaica Test through which Gaekwad produced an exemplary show of braveness.
“One ball just took off and hit him straight on the ear. I could see he was really perturbed and told him whether he wanted to go inside. Then I could see blood coming out of his ear and I called for ice. Eknath Solkar was the 12th man, he came out with ice, he saw him and started shouting, ‘There is blood, there is blood!’ I told him, ‘Speak softly. Already I am scared, don’t scare me off more’.”
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com