July 23 will be celebrated as Sunil Gavaskar Day in Leicester, United Kingdom from now on. The announcement was made by British parliamentarian of Indian-origin Keith Vaz on Saturday when Bharat Sports and Cricket Club, named their ground after the Indian batting icon
Sunil Gavaskar with UK MP Keith Vaz. Pic/Debasish Datta
July 23 will be celebrated as Sunil Gavaskar Day in Leicester, United Kingdom from now on. The announcement was made by British parliamentarian of Indian-origin Keith Vaz on Saturday when Bharat Sports and Cricket Club, which participates in the Leicester league, named their ground after the Indian batting icon.
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Although the landscape is similar to a countryside cricket field, there are plans to make it a modern stadium soon. The pictures of the proposed stadium are on the walls of their clubhouse. “I hope it would be a complete stadium before my next visit here,” Gavaskar remarked as he was garlanded and provided a guard of honour by the club cricketers during the inauguration ceremony.
‘Honoured and happy’
Standing in front of his beautiful portrait done by artist Vishal Joshi on the club’s wall, Gavaskar said: “My grandson and granddaughter know me as a TV commentator. They don’t know anything about my cricket career. When they come here, they will realise that their grandfather played a little bit of cricket. I am honoured...very happy to be here. Don’t know how to thank you’ll enough.”
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Game of uncertainties
Gavaskar also shared a harsh reality of the game, citing the example of Sir Don Bradman. “Nobody is a master in this game. If one thinks he will score a century after scoring one today, I can tell you it may not happen that way. It is a funny game...full of uncertainties. We all remember the great Sir Donald Bradman. He scored a zero in his last Test inning. Otherwise, his average would have been 100. He finished with 99.94,” said Gavaskar.
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