THE ARRIVAL
21 years old. First tour. Against the best. In their backyard. What followed was cricket history.
Series Statistics
The greatest debut series in Test cricket history. A record that still stands over 50 years later.
THE JOURNEY
1st Test
The arrival. First Test, first runs. Showed composure beyond his years.
2nd Test
First Test century. At 21, against the West Indies, in the Caribbean. A star was born.
3rd Test
Bounced back from a rare failure. Century not out. The pattern of resilience established.
4th Test
The masterpiece. 124 and 220. A double century on debut series. Legendary.
5th Test
Even legends have off days. But the series was already won.
THE CONTEXT
The Challenge
- •21 years old, first international tour
- •Against West Indies in the Caribbean
- •Facing Andy Roberts, Vanburn Holder, and co.
- •Playing against Gary Sobers, Rohan Kanhai
- •No helmet, no modern protection
The Impact
- •Announced himself as a world-class batsman
- •Changed perceptions of Indian batting
- •Set a record that still stands today
- •Established template for success abroad
- •Became India's batting hero for 16 years
THE WORLD TOOK NOTICE
"We had never seen anything like it. A 21-year-old kid, coming to the Caribbean for the first time, and batting like he owned the place."
The cricket world was stunned. India had produced great batsmen before, but none had announced themselves on the world stage quite like this. Four centuries in five Tests. Against the West Indies. In the Caribbean.
This wasn't just a good debut. This was a statement: Indian batting had arrived. And Sunil Gavaskar was leading the charge.
A STAR WAS BORN