Against PAK in Ahmedabad, Gavaskar achieved the impossible feat

In modern-day cricket, achieving 10,000 Test runs is considered a possible task due to the number of matches established cricketing nations play every year. The more matches, the more opportunities to score runs. Not to forget, teams also have the option of curating fast pitches if they want, so the ball comes to the bat, and making runs becomes somewhat of an easy task.

However, four decades ago, the conditions were different – lack of safety gear, ferocious pace bowlers, fewer games, and amidst all this, India’s Sunil Gavaskar achieved the impossible feat of achieving 10,000 runs in Test internationals. Yes, on this day, i.e., March 7, 1987, Gavaskar added a new page in the history book while batting against PAK.

India vs. PAK

The fourth Test match of India vs. PAK started on the 4th of March with PAK taking the crease. Initially, PAK's top order struggled, but down the order, Imran Khan and Ijaz Faqih scored 72 and 105 runs, respectively, helping PAK put on a score of 395 in the first inning.

India’s response and Gavaskar’s 10,000

India had a fantastic start with Sunil Gavaskar scoring 63 runs and completing his 10,000 runs in Test cricket -- the first cricketer to do so in international cricket. Dilip Vengsarkar made headlines for himself, hitting 109 runs, whereas down the order, Kapil Dev scored 50 runs, and eventually India reached 323 runs in the first innings.

The game ended in a draw between the two sides, but the match was all about Sunil Gavaskar’s achievement.

Gavaskar’s thoughts on his feat

Once during a discussion with Ten Sports, Gavaskar had said, “Absolutely amazing feeling to get 10,000. When I started my career, I never thought that I would reach 10,000 runs. If I got 1000 runs, I would've been very happy. Wasn't that ambitious. Also, being the first, I said that many would go past, but like Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary, who are remembered as the first to climb Mount Everest, the first to get to 10,000 runs will be remembered.”

Imran Khan’s vital role

Did you know PAK’s Imran Khan had played a vital role in ensuring Gavaskar reached his 10,000 runs? Giving credit to PAK’s former captain, the Little Man had explained, “I got the opportunity to do it because of the one and only Imran Khan. Now, the year before in England, after the first Test, me and Imran went to an Italian restaurant for Lunch. I told him that this series is going to be my last, and this was 1986. I told him that I will quit after this. He said 'no, no you can't do that'. I said what do you mean? I can't do that; it's my choice. He said 'no, no Pakistan are coming to India. I want to beat India with you playing. I don't want to beat India (without you) as it won't be the same'. I said Pakistan is not coming.

He said, "The ICC meeting will be happening, so you'll hear the announcement next week. I said if they announce it, I will carry on. But if the announcement doesn't come, I will retire after this series. Sure enough, the announcement came through. So I carried on. Had I retired that time, I would've had 9200-9300 runs. But because of that, I got to 10,000 runs. Before Pakistan came, there were two other matches.”

Sunny’s stats

In his last Test match, i.e., the fifth Test of that series, Gavaskar scored 96 and bid farewell to the game with 10,122 Test runs in 125 matches, followed by 3,092 ODI runs in 108 games. In First Class, Gavaskar had made 25,834 runs in 348 matches.