Sunil Gavaskar turns 73: 5 records he held in international cricket

Sunil Gavaskar is celebrating his 73rd birthday on Sunday. Here, we present the five records he has held in international cricket.

Image credit: Getty

Regarding some of the Indian cricketing legends, Sunil Gavaskar is one of the names that has to strike one's mind. Popularly known as the 'Little Master', he is one of the legends who played a vital role alongside skipper Kapil Dev to help India win its maiden World Cup in 1983. Besides, he was sensational with the bat throughout his career; scoring runs convincingly in Tests and One-Day Internationals (ODIs). He was so good with the bat that he scripted numerous records. As he celebrates his 73rtd birthday on Sunday, we look at five top records he held in international cricket.

Image credit: Getty

First to 10,000 runs
Gavaskar was the first Indian to amass 10,000 runs in Tests in the most remarkable feat. He attained the feat on March 7, 1987, against Pakistan. Later, his record was surpassed by Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar.

Image credit: Getty

13 centuries against the Windies
The Windies happened to be a champion team back then, and it was tough to be beaten. However, Gavaskar had a knack for playing fearless cricket against the Caribbean and scored 13 centuries against the most dangerous side in the world back then, which happened to be a record at the time.

Image credit: Getty

First to carry the bat
In another significant achievement, Gavaskar became the first Indian to carry his bat in a Test innings. During the Faisalabad Test against Pakistan in 1982-89, he slammed an unbeaten 127 to attain the feat against a quality Pakistani bowling attack.

Image credit: Getty

Consistent centuries
Gavaskar holds a unique record to his name, as he is the only Indian to have slammed successive centuries at a couple of grounds worldwide. He has scored four straight tons at Port of Spain and Wankhede Stadium.

Image credit: Getty

A ton of catches
Not just with the bat, Gavaskar was also famous for being a top fielder. He happens to be the first Indian to have gripped 100 catches in the longest format, excluding wicketkeepers, while he has 108 Test catches to his name.