Was committed to playing for India: Sunil Gavaskar on not asking for paternity leave in 1975-76 Tour


Was committed to playing for India: Sunil Gavaskar on not asking for paternity leave in 1975-76 Tour

Team India skipper Virat Kohli and Sunil Gavaskar

Virat Kohli decided to be with Anushka Sharma after the first Test match

Current India skipper Virat Kohli will miss the last three Test matches against Australia. He was granted a paternity leave to be with his wife Anushka Sharma as they are expecting the birth of their first child. 

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This decision of Virat Kohli invited a lot of remarks from all over the cricket world. Meanwhile, legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar remembered the 1975-76 Tour of West Indies when he didn’t ask the Board to travel home. Gavaskar stated that he was committed to playing for India, and his wife backed the decision. 

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“While this is correct, the circumstances of that request were not made clear and so, here is an attempt to put the record straight. Firstly, I did not ask permission to return to be by my wife’s side for the birth. When I left with the Indian team for the (1975-76) twin tour of New Zealand and the West Indies, I was aware that the baby would come while I was away. I was committed to playing for India, and my wife backed me to the hilt.

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No question of me missing a Test match: Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar

Gavaskar recalled the time when he was injured during the third Test against New Zealand. He was advised a few weeks’ rest, however, the former India cricketer went to the West Indies.

“The doctors advised a four-week break from the recovery game. The next Test match was in the West Indies in about three weeks. And since I wasn’t going to be able to play in the interim, I asked our manager, the legendary Polly Umrigar, if I could go back at my own expense for a few days and rejoin the team in the West Indies well ahead of the First Test. So there was no question of me missing a Test match other than for injury. I played the first Test despite the doctor having advised another week’s rest,” Gavaskar said.

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