Sunil Gavaskar is a former Indian cricketing great who shone for India. Nicknamed ‘Sunny’, Sunil is often regarded as one of the greatest opening batsman in Indian Test history and also has several records to his name. His full name is Sunil Manohar Gavaskar and he was born on 10th July, 1949, at Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. His uncle is Madhav Mantri, a former Indian Test wicketkeeper. He is married to Marshaniel Gavaskar with a son Rohan, who is also a domestic level cricketer.

With great cricket influences in his family, Sunil’s interest in cricket began since his school days, where for his brilliant performances he was even named ‘India’s Best Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year’ in 1966. Since then, he has come a long way in Indian cricket, and now, although retired from the game, still plays a significant role in advising and managing affairs of the cricketing fraternity in India and as a commentator and ICC official. The major sides that Sunil Gavaskar has represented are India, Mumbai and Somerset.

Despite his diminutive stature, he was an outstanding right-hand batsman with brilliant batting technique, noted ‘late-flicks’ and impenetrable defensive stance, especially against fast bowling. Sunil was a backbone for the team’s innings in a match, along with his ability to be a good slip fielder. It was in his era that Indian cricket realized its potential and began performing well at Tests and ODI’s. Sunil made his first class debut for Vazir Sultan Colts XI and then played on with the Bombay squad, until he was selected in 1970/71 to the Indian cricket team.

Sunil made his Test debut against West Indies at Port of Spain in March 1971 and helped India clinch their first ever win, as well as their first ever series victory over the West Indies. Since then he has played as many as 125 Tests, scoring 10122 runs while becoming the first batsman to reach 10,000 Test runs; with a record 34 centuries. His record was recently surpassed by Sachin Tendulkar in 2005. Gavaskar’s highest Test score was 236 not-out against West Indies at Madras in their 6th Test in 1983/84. He has also taken 108 catches in Tests, besides being a fine slip fielder.

Sunil made his One Day international debut against England at Leeds in July 1974. Since then he has played as many as 108 ODI’s scoring 3092 runs, with an average of 35.13, and a strike rate of 62.26. He has also taken 22 catches in ODI, with the most memorable being 4 catches in an ODI against Pakistan in Sharjah in 1985. Sunil has played in the 1975, 1979, 1983 and 1987 Cricket World Cups, playing a big role in India’s 1983 World Cup win. He has played 19 World Cup matches, scoring 561 runs, with his highest ODI score being 103 not-out.

Gavaskar created many records including breaking Sir Donald Bradman’s prestigious total of 29 Test centuries in 1983 and also becoming the first batsman to reach 10,000 Test runs. Despite some outstanding performances, Sunil has also had his share of downs, like some controversial performances and unsuccessful stints at captaincy and at ODI games. Sunil was honored with the Padma Bhushan, the 1980 ‘Wisden Cricketer of the Year’, and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy was jointly instituted in his and Allan Border’s honour.

Sourav Chandidas Ganguly made his entry into this world on July 08, 1973 in Calcutta, the ‘City of Joy’, now Kolkata. He was born into a sports loving family and was the second of two sons born to Chandidas and Nirupa Ganguly. He was born into immense wealth, unlike many Indian cricketers, with the exception of royalty. His parents gave him the nickname of ‘Maharaj’ meaning ‘Prince’. Perhaps, they knew that their son was born to lead.

Sourav’s father, Chandidas Ganguly runs a flourishing printing business, the 3rd largest in Asia, that has helped make the Gangulys among the 5 richest in Kolkata.  Even  today, Dada’s

father is one of the major barons in the printing business in Kolkata. His palatial, joint-family home which has nearly 30 members in the Kolkata suburb of Behala has more than 45 rooms. There is suggestion of affluence everything in the Ganaguly household, from the palatial 4-storey building itself to the beautifully decorated rooms. The annual turnover of Sourav’s family is nearly 80 crores, with just a profit of 40 crores!

As a child, Sourav was extremely mischievous, a typical Cancerian one could say.  His brother Snehashish (nicknamed Raj) was born five years before him and became an accomplished left handed batsman. Though Sourav is a natural right hander, he learned to bat with his left hand from his brother, Snehashish. Sourav does everything else, including writing and bowling with his right hand.  Convenience was one of the reasons for Sourav to become a left-handed batsman as he could then use his brother’s cricket gear.

For someone who is one of the best cricketers of contemporary times, it would come as a surprise to many of Sourav’s fans that cricket was not his first love. Like all people who dwell in the city of Kolkata, Sourav’s first sporting passion was football. But like most Indian kids, he had to make the difficult choice between academics and sport and his mother wasn’t very supportive of Sourav taking up cricket or any sport as a career. But Snehashish, who was an established cricketer for Bengal only strengthened his brother’s resolve to be a cricketer and he asked his father to get Sourav enrolled in a cricket coaching camp during Sourav’s class ten holidays.

Sourav at the age of 5.

If not cricket, he would probably have been a football player. A self confessed fan of the great game.