Last Wednesday Australia’s ebullient wicket-keeper batsman Adam Gilchrist and India’s prolific opening batsman Sunil Gavaskar of 1970s and 80s were made Sir Donald Bradman honourees for 2010 at a glittering function at the SCG.
The previous honourees were all Australians: Norman O’Neill in 2006, Neil Harvey and Sam Loxton in 2007, Bill Brown and Arthur Morris in 2008 and Alan Davidson and Dennis Lillee in 2009.
It was a pleasure catching up with ‘Sunny’ Gavaskar before the gala ceremony and interviewing him for The Roar.
He recalled past, present and future of cricket with a straight bat, occasionally cover-driving and hooking but never pulling away from a short-pitched delivery from me.
Here is an excerpt from our two hour chat as we walked from Woolloomooloo to Kings Cross station and then to Town Hall and QVB.
Sunny, having commentated on the recently concluded Australia-India Test series in India, how do you think will Australia go in the Ashes?
“You must remember Kersi that despite India’s 2-0 victory earlier this month, out of 10 days of the two Test matches, both Australia and India went neck and neck on nine days. Only on the final day of the second Test, India was ahead. So despite the result, it was a very, very close series; very little separating the two countries.
“You ask how Australia will fare in the Ashes this summer. I predict Australia will win but it won’t be a clean sweep like in 2006-07.”
Sunny, what are your views on Ricky Ponting as captain?
I’m sure the Australian selectors won’t make a captaincy change this season with the Ashes around the corner and the World Cup next year. Such a change now will change the equilibrium of the team.
“Basically my impression over the last two years is that there is no replacement for Ponting who is capable of stepping up. The Selection Committee does not seem confident of Michael Clarke as a replacement.”
What about off-spinner Nathan Hauritz?
“Hauritz had a very ordinary series in India. He seems to be under a lot of pressure and was either unwilling or afraid to toss the ball. I think a leg-spinner in the team would make a difference.”
And what about the pace attack and wicket-keeping options for the Oz selectors, Sunny?
“Mitchell Johnson was all over the place in India. Ben Hilfenhaus bowled well. On faster Australian pitches the quickies will perform better. If Peter Siddle is fit, he will bring an extra dimension to Australia’s attack.
“Whether to retain Tim Paine as a ‘keeper or go for the more experienced Brad Haddin will be a tough call for the selectors.”
Your views on IPL?
“Apart from pulling huge crowds, it has brought cricketers from different countries together, and I mean together with old conflicts more or less resolved. Also playing with legends like Warne, Tendulkar, Gilchrist, Hayden, McGrath… has inspired young cricketers to perform better.”
Despite jetlag, Gavaskar visited the Bradman Museum development in Bowral last Tuesday, only a few hours after landing in Sydney. He was excited about the Hall of Fame theme and feels other countries should follow this model.
Any recollections of Bradman?
“I recall my first visit to Australia with the World XI led by Sir Garry Sobers in 1971-72 with nostalgia. I met Sir Don for the first time on that tour. At the Adelaide airport, he [Don] came round looking for ‘that little fellow’ — me! When we two were having a chat, Sobers joked: ‘Hey, you little blokes must gang up together, huh!’ Don turned to me and quipped: ‘These big blokes have the power, but we little ones have the footwork, huh!’ ”
One final question Sunny, which bowler troubled you the most?
“Andy Roberts from the West Indies was the best of the fast bowlers. I could not relax against him even after scoring a century. He had more variety than any other bowler I faced and he could surprise.”
On that note of surprise we parted company.
Adam Gilchrist, Governor General Quentin Bryce and Sunil Gavaskar are flanked by Michael Ball of Bradman Trust and Richie Benaud at the Bradman Honouree Night on 20th October at the SCG.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Sheek, I rank Barry Richards very high as an opener. It was not his fault that the apartheid policy of his country cut his Test career. To me Greenidge and Haynes from West Indies, Simpson and Lawry, Taylor and Slater as also Hayden and Langer from Australia were among the greatest opening pairs I have seen. Pity Gavaskar had no stable partner at the other end.
sheek
Guest
Kersi, Great discussion with Sunny. I would have loved to have joined you, but on a scooter! Andy Roberts is one of my heroes, like Chappelli, Walters, Thomson, etc. One of those guys on the cusp of a genuine best XI of the past 40 years, but one I would definitely select in my 'favourites' XI. The Windies had so many great fast bowlers from the 70s onwards, the top 4 would generally be - Marshall, Holding, Ambrose & Garner. Roberts can get no closer than 5th. Seriously, who out of the first 4 would you, could you, drop for Roberts? Compare this with the Aussies. Lillee & McGrath are certainties for best XI of the past 40 years, but the 3rd paceman is a toss-up. I would go for Thomson, but there is plenty of competition. And on overall stats & effectiveness, Roberts was probably a better all-round paceman than Thomson. Yet he's 5th for the Windies, & Thommo arguably 3rd for the Aussies. On Gavaskar, I personally consider South African Barry Richards the best opener I saw. If ease of style is the ultimate criteria, Richards didn't seem to be trying too hard too often. But for guts, you can't go past Sunny. And unlike Richards, through no fault of the latter, Sunny has the stats & deeds of test cricket to back him. That said, Richards & Gavaskar would be the openers in my best World XI of the past 40 years. Sehwag next cab off the rank. On to the Ashes series, I agree the Aussies can, probably will, beat the Poms. The Poms often talk a better talk than they can walk the walk. However, I would like to see some new blood introduced. it's time for the Aussie selectors to show some balls. Ponting is still the best option for skipper, no matter how poorly some may rate him. It's very rare for there to be a poor Australian cricket captain. They range from competent to very, very good. Punter is competent at worst.....
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Statistics don't tell the whole story about Gavaskar. True, he was the first cricketer to score 10,000 runs and hit 30 centuries in Test cricket. But he was much more than that. He faced the fastest bowlers in Test history without flinching; Lillee and Thomson from Australia, Holding, Roberts, Marshall, Garner from West Indies, Imran and Akram from Pakistan... And to open an innings for a weak team without a proper helmet! It's awe-inspiring. With helmet, heavy bats, shorter boundaries and against a much inferior attack as of recent years, he would have scored almost 20,000 runs. Viv Richards did not have to face the Windies pace-like-fire; Border and Greg Chappell did not have to face the chin music of Lilian Thommo... Bradman's average was halved when he faced one true fast bowler, Larwood. I would place Sunny Gavaskar up there with the best. Even higher.
Brett McKay
Guest
nice one Kersi, and full credit for the walk, too, you've certainly covered some territory there! It's interesting to read Gavaskar's thoughts on Ponting and Clarke, and that Ponting remains because Clarke isn't or won't be ready.....
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Vinay, Gavaskar keeps himself fit by playing badminton. I will always treasure that walk.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Kersi,that walk from W'mllo to the Cross is all uphill and it would have buckled by knees! Something about short men and lower centre of gravity! In fact that is one of the reasons Sunny attributes his success aginst the quicks to. Talking of Andy Roberts he was my idea of a fast bowler. He had two bouncers. One a fast one and the other faster!. None of this slower ball hogwash for him! His bouncers were like exocets. Unerring and homing in to the temple. He went a little wider on the crease and hit the seam perfectly. The ball followed the hapless batsman. Like the shadow that never goes away.