Former Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar was deeply emotional and speechless when his life-size statue was revealed at Mumbai’s famous Wankhede Stadium on Saturday. The event also marked the opening of the MCA Sharad Pawar Cricket Museum, where Gavaskar’s statue was placed alongside that of former BCCI and ICC president Sharad Pawar. The museum will officially open to the public on September 22.
Gavaskar, widely respected as one of the greatest opening batsmen in cricket, was the first player ever to score 10,000 runs in Test matches—a record he achieved in Ahmedabad against Pakistan in 1987. Speaking at the event, he said the statue was a special honour and dedicated it to his long journey with Mumbai cricket.
Sunil Gavaskar said he was speechless after seeing his life-size statue at Wankhede Stadium. He felt deeply honored, calling it a very special moment because not everyone gets such recognition outside a famous cricket museum visited by so many people. Gavaskar compared the Mumbai Cricket Association to a mother, saying it supported him from his early school-level cricket days, through playing for Bombay schools, and later in the Ranji Trophy. He added that it has always been a blessing and privilege to represent Mumbai, and he never imagined such an honor would come his way. The moment also reminded him of the time he reached his 10,000th run in Test cricket, bringing back happy memories. Gavaskar dedicated the statue to everyone who played alongside him—whether during his childhood games in Tardeo’s Bhagirathi building, school cricket, club matches, the Ranji Trophy, or at the international level.
Dadar Union Taught Me So Much: Gavaskar Reflects on His Cricketing Roots
The museum will showcase two of Gavaskar’s most treasured caps—one from Mumbai and the other from Dadar Union Sports Club, which is very special to him. He remembered wearing that cap during India’s famous 1981 Test win against Australia in Melbourne, when Kapil Dev bowled despite being in pain to help India achieve a historic victory.
“Dadar Union taught me a lot — that cricket is bigger than any individual, that you should never take the game for granted, and that it’s important to give back to the sport. I wore my Dadar Union cap the day India beat Australia in 1981 by 59 runs in the third Test. Kapil Dev came in to bowl at Melbourne despite being unwell the day before. He took painkillers and still bowled, taking five wickets for 28 runs. It was a tense moment — I’m superstitious, as you probably know — so I chose to wear my lucky Dadar Union cap instead of the India cap. Australia still needed around 60-80 runs, and they had already lost three wickets, so I trusted my lucky cap to help that day.”
FAQ
What honor did Sunil Gavaskar receive at Wankhede Stadium?
Sunil Gavaskar was honored with a life-size statue at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
Why was the statue of Gavaskar installed?
The statue celebrates Gavaskar’s legendary contributions to Indian cricket and his iconic status in the sport.
How did Gavaskar react to seeing his statue?
Gavaskar said he was “at a loss for words” and felt deeply honored by the recognition.
Where exactly is the statue located?
The statue is installed at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, where Gavaskar played many historic matches.
