Sunil Gavaskar, a former Indian captain and one of the best batsmen of his generation, has named a player as the best cricketer India has ever produced.

Indian cricket has been represented by some of the game’s greatest players in history. There are times when Indian cricket fans can watch multiple Indian cricketers thrive on the field. The best cricketer to ever represent India has also been a focus of extensive discussion. Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar has also named an Indian cricketer as his all-time favorite.

According to Gavaskar, Kapil Dev led India to its first World Cup winner in 1983, while Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, and Virat Kohli are three players who have won multiple awards.

Gavaskar complimented Kapil Dev’s versatility and referred to him as a “perfect cricketer” who could use both the ball and the bat to win matches.

“To win the game, he had both the bat and the ball. He would take the wickets, which would aid in your victory. He would score 80–90 points or a scorching 100 in a flash to change the game’s direction. He used the bat to strike something. He used his hand to strike the ball. Observe the several catches he made. He was a complete cricketer.” Gavaskar continued.

Duo of Sunil Gavaskar and kapil Dev!

According to the cricket updates, Gavaskar and Kapil Dev were companions for ten years; from 1978 to 1987, they played in 87 Tests and 97 ODIs for India. They both contributed significantly to India’s triumph in the 1980s and assisted in the nation’s numerous victories. However, when India defeated the mighty West Indies in the 1983 World Cup title game at Lord’s, it was the most memorable moment of their professional careers.

By leading an underdog to the global championship at the centre of cricket, Kapil Dev is credited mainly with forever transforming Indian cricket.

After participating in 131 Tests and 225 One-Day Internationals for India, the Haryana all-rounder retired in 1994. In Tests and ODIs, respectively, Kapil scored 5248 and 3783 runs while taking 434 and 253 wickets.

Gavaskar stated that Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni, who recently retired, are remarkably similar.

Kapil Dev & M. S Dhoni as an Inspiration

“Dhoni and Kapil were quite similar to one another. Both adopted similar strategies for the game. They enjoyed the game a lot. They both cherished being in the thick of things and desired great things for their teams. Both are very similar in that regard, according to Gavaskar.

The players become more anxious if a captain becomes a little more stressed when a catch is dropped or a misfield happens. And that’s where MS Dhoni and Kapil Dev made their scores. The players did not feel affected at all and were free to play their own game because they simply managed their emotions so effectively, ” he continued.

Comparing athletes from different eras and playing positions will inevitably be flawed. It is questionable whether it is appropriate to compare a wicketkeeper to an opening batsman or a middle-order batter to a fast bowler.

Sir Don Bradman’s selection as the greatest cricketer in history would be the lone exception to this rule. Bradman may have been the most dominant sports figure ever, but that is debatable. The difference between the best and the next best in any sport has probably never been as significant as it was during the Bradman era. He finished his career with 29 Test hundreds and an astounding batting average of 99.94 runs per innings. He transformed 12 of these 29 tonnes into double hundreds and two into triple hundreds. In just 52 Tests, he batted in just 80 innings, yet he accomplished all these benchmarks. On average, he scored a century once every 2.8 trips to the crease.

The fact that Graeme Pollock has the second-highest batting average in Test cricket history among players who have played twenty or more Test innings or more serves as a testament to the magnitude of his achievement. His mark is 60.97.

Final Words

It must have been challenging for the Wisden panel of cricketers and reporters to develop a reliable standard to judge the “Indian Cricketer of the Century.” It has been noted that the foundation of such a process strongly depends on a player’s statistics history. The contemporary era, in which players have experienced a massive increase in media exposure, is greatly favored. Additionally, since the 1970s, the number of games played by cricketers has increased significantly. Can we, therefore, fairly contrast the achievements of trendsetters like Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, and Kapil Dev with those of pioneers like C.K. Nayudu, Vinoo Mankad, Vijay Merchant, and Vijay Hazare?

The Wisden award was always expected to come down to this shortlist of three, despite how much this type of selection process relies on statistics and regardless of its flaws. Their stellar records have endured the test of time and will continue to do so. The decision between these three outstanding cricketers was going to be extremely difficult. Despite this, a strong case can be made for Sunil Gavaskar to be considered India’s best cricketer.

Since the beginning of the century, cricket has undergone enormous development. One-day cricket has given the game an entirely new dimension. The level of one-day cricket has increased by leaps and bounds since its debut on the international schedule. Comparisons of players across time, especially the limited overs game, maybe naïve. However, Test cricket’s level has been more consistent and suited for such evaluations. Many of the skills required to succeed in the two forms of cricket have occasionally been found to be significantly different as the limited-overs game has developed. Stay connected to get more cricket samachar and cricket headlines!

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