Page 3 - Seniors Today - March Issue

Publisher’s Note
Master of Hearts
In the ever-evolving world of cricket there is
one constant, and that is Sunil Gavaskar. He has
remained a pillar of strength that makes every
Indian proud. When Sunil began his cricket
journey, the game was nothing like it is today. I
don’t know if the evolution started with him, but
for sure he was a part of it, and India is today a
top-ranking team.
There was a time when the Indian team was
considered fragile and it was said that we could
snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Sunil was
the one cricketer who faced every onslaught
with grit and determination. He was the one
who made us feel that we belonged on the
world stage. He played the game with class and
technical brilliance; while there were others,
none came close to matching the consistency and
the volume of runs that Sunil harvested.
He is perhaps one of the few cricketing
superstars who retired at the right moment. Not
an easy thing to do, possibly it is this ability to
understand the situation and the moment that
held him in good stead on the field and also off
it. What is amazing is that he continues to be
relevant, a voice of wisdom. Humble, down-to-
earth and not in awe of himself, it is this trait
that allows Sunil to connect with people of all
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #21 | MARCH 2021
generations. He has always been his own person
and this is what helps him remain relevant.
What is also creditable is that despite all the
mudslinging in the cricketing associations, BCCI
etc, he has kept himself clean and remained
distant from the politics of the game.
No other cricketer has had the same longevity
as him – for 16 years as a cricketer and for 34
years as a commentator, he has remained the
voice of Indian cricket through all the changes
that it has seen. There has to be something
special about this man that has kept him spot-
on for 50 years. I once sat at a dinner table with
him (at the CEAT Cricket Rating Awards), and
found him impeccably mannered, soft-spoken,
unconscious of the fact that he is Sunil Gavaskar
and like everyone else on the table participated
equitably in the conversation.
Sunil Gavaskar is a real hero and like all real
heroes he has stood the test of time. Never mind
his height; he is the giant of Indian cricket and
will remain so.
Vickram Sethi
Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
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