Andy Narell might not be a name many might know but he is the man who wrote the lyrics for the calypso called “Gavaskar” the chorus of the lines read
“It was Gavaskar
De Real Master
Just Like a Wall
We Couldn’t Out Gavaskar At All, Not At All
You Know The West Indies Couldn’t Out Gavaskar At All”
When you have a Calypso written after you when the era saw the most fearsome fast bowling from the West Indies team which included the likes of Joel Garner, Colin Croft, Malcolm Marshal and Michael Holding, it means you have done something great with the bat for which you have been heaped such praise.
Gavaskar the man who changed the face of the Indian cricket –
Sunil Gavaskar was everything that India wanted, a man who can stare the adversity in the face, stand up to the fast bowlers and grind them into submission or take the attack to the opposition. Sunil Manohar Gavaskar was the savior that Indian cricket needed. The Indian batting was in need of a hero and much like Kapil Dev did for Indian fast bowling, the role Gavaskar in playing a role model to the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman will forever stay etched in the memory of many. Gavaskar’s batting tales are often spoken with glee even now as many who grew up watching him speak about his steadfast will to keep playing despite the hostility that the bowlers were hell bent on unleashing on him. Gavaskar was once sledged by the great Sir Vivian Richards during a test match in Chennai with India at 0/2 which is a huge compliment if you think of it when Richards had quipped “no matter what number you bat mannnn the score is always zero”
A modern day hero and idol –
Sachin Tendulkar has always spoken about the admiration he has for the great Sunil Gavaskar and the way he inspired him to pick up the bat, infact when Sachin Tendulkar was going through a rough phase in his career with the bat, he sought the advice of the great Gavaskar and when Sachin went on to score his 35th test century in the December of 2005 against Sri Lanka at Delhi there is an image of Sachin Tendulkar and his idol Sunil Gavaskar standing in the ground. India needed a Sunil Gavaskar like King Arthur needed his Excalibur sword pulled out of the stone and Sunil Gavaskar not only put the Indian cricket on the map but also showed that Indian batsmen wont bow down to the hostile pace that was unleashed on them. He batted all his career without a helmet infact only during the latter part of his career did he wear a skull protection.
A legend for years to come –
The great Pakistani bowler Wasim Akram once remarked that “If anyone is keen to learn proper batting technique, then one should watch Gavaskar who batted without a helmet and was always right on top” Sunil Gavaskar was well past his 30’s and in fact in the last few years of his playing career against Wasim Akram who was just in his teens and bowling 150 plus KPH and yet the master batsman was able to hold his own against the young turk who was knocking on his door to make a statement. Gavaskar ended his career with 10,122 runs and 34 centuries with an average of 51.1. He is a revered figure in the Indian cricketing annals and that will not change for a long time to come as Andy Narell might put pen to his thoughts and say
“It Was Gavaskar,
De Real Master
Just Like A Wall”
We do not argue with that Mr. Narell he was everything that Indian cricket later, steadfast, bold and brave that’s Sunil Manohar Gavaskar for you.