A successful Test debut often sets the tone for a great Test career. A successful series on debut stamps the class of the player. Sunil Gavaskar is no stranger to records. First to 10,000 Test runs and the man was at one time the highest run-getter and had the most centuries in the format. The first signs of greatness were in his debut series vs West Indies in 1971.
Gavaskar missed the 1st Test due to an injured finger. He was slotted into the opening position in the 2nd game and was all set to make his debut. And what a debut it was. The 21-year-old announced himself with scores of 65 and 67 not out as India won by 7 wickets to lead the series 1-0 with 3 games to go.
It was a great start but Gavaskar was far from done. In the very next game, he hit his 1st Test 100 and finished with 116 and 64 not out to help India draw the game and hold on to their lead with 2 games. India had just won their 1st Test vs West Indies and that too in their own backyard so were in no mood to give away the advantage.
Wisden
India’s latest sensation was getting better with each knock. In the next match, he fell for 1 in the 1st innings, his only score below 50 in the entire series. But he made up for it with 117 not out to make sure India saved the game and with one match left, India were still 1-0 up.
People sometimes save the best for last and just when one thought Gavaskar could not get any better, he did. In the last match of the series, he made 124 in the 1st innings and followed it up with 220 in the 2nd innings and West Indies barely managed to draw the game and India won the series 1-0, their 1st Test series victory over West Indies and that too in their own den. Gavaskar became the 2nd Indian to hit a 100 in each innings of a Test, something he would do on 2 more occasions. He is to date the only Indian to have hit a 100 and 200 in the same Test.
Wisden
The numbers said it all. In 4 Tests, he batted 8 times with 3 not-outs. He hit 4 100s and 3 50s and had a whopping average of 154.8. After his last series, this average was 51.12, proving that he was able to build on his successful start.
His debut series made the world sit up and take notice. It was only the first drop in the ocean as he would rewrite the record books over the next decade or so. More than 50 years later, those who watched his debut series live or heard it on radio as there was no TV coverage in India back then, recall it fondly. Gavaskar also found fans in the West Indies camp and their fans also loved him. Garry Sobers, the then Windies skipper, hails Gavaskar as a legend to this day. Mind you, he was no mean player himself.
The coming years would see records, milestones and more runs being piled on. But those are tales for another day.