Page 30 - Seniorstoday July 2024 Issue
P. 30
over half a century. Both were also part of
Ajit Wadekar’s team that also beat England
a few months later in what is now recalled
as the Renaissance of Indian cricket.
The duo dominated the decade with their
prolific run-getting all over the world.
Both short statured (at 5’5” Gavaskar
was an inch taller), both were technically
supreme, but a study in contrast in their
approach in the middle. Vishwanath, In many ways, Mohamed Azharuddin
batting in the middle order, was the more and Sachin Tendulkar picked up the baton
aggressive, wristy and stylish, and brought from Vishwanath and Gavaskar. Azharo,
flair and flourish to the team. Gavaskar, tall, willowy was a stylist from Hyderabad
who opened the innings, was the more whose sweet timing and wristy strokes on
determined, putting a heavy cost to his both sides of the wicket gave batsmanship,
wicket, giving Indian cricket spine and not just in India but the world, a delectable
steel. flavour. Tendulkar, who set a world record
Between them, they raised the bar for as a schoolboy, was a prodigy who not
batsmanship in Indian cricket to new only lived up to expectations, but exceeded
heights. It remains an irony that while both them in a magnificent career that lasted a
scored heavily, they did not share too many whopping 24 years and culminated with
substantial partnerships. But when they most batting records in the game in Tests as
did, as in the record run chase against West well as one-day Internationals.
Indies in 1976, both making centuries, they Azhar began his career with a bang in
created magic. 1984-85 against David Gower’s England
Along their cricket journey together, they team, scoring centuries in each of his first
also forged a family bond, Vishwanath three Tests. In a career extending to more
marrying Gavaskar’s youngest sister than 15 years, Azhar won accolades and
Kavita. fans all over the world with his exquisite
Vishwanath’s ended in 1983. He batting which was always a visual delight.
perhaps made fewer runs and centuries Gavaskar who was his captain in his debut
than expected, but he made them in series, and also when India won the World
unforgettable style. Moreover, India never Championship of Cricket in Australia in
lost a Test in which he scored a hundred. 1985 where Azhar played a crucial hand,
Gavaskar’s career continued till 1987, called him `God’s Gift To Indian Cricket’.
and he finishes as a Goliath of the game, Tendulkar, who made his debut as a
finishing with the highest run aggregate callow 16-year-old in 1989 against Pakistan
and most centuries. Between them, these under Azhar’s captaincy, was to become
two Little Masters, in their own distinctive talisman of the Indian team, and the
way, had become the benchmarks most compelling player In the world. His
of supreme batsmanship for future technical virtuosity was akin to Gavaskar’s,
generations of Indian cricketers. but he also had a streak of Viv Richards’s
aggressive stroke play in him., making him
30
