He’s been Sunny G for so long that we have all but forgotten Sunil Gavaskar’s Grant Road's Chikalwadi connection. What we never forget is that he was the first to reach the Everest of batting, the milestone of 10,000 runs. It has been surpassed since but Gavaskar was the first and he continues to be named the best of his time because he scored runs in India and abroad and against the fastest bowlers of all time and without much protection like today's warriors who are armed with helmets, shin pads, arm guards, thigh pads and chest guards.

Above all, he and Bedi led the fight against the Board of Control for Cricket in India to get the players their overdue decent remuneration for their efforts. In his second and third innings, Gavaskar has served the game as columnist (for over a decade now), commentator and advisor to the BCCI and ICC. His Professional Management Group launched Indian cricket's first `sterile' cricket awards --ones which pay money (big) to current and ex-players through the Ceat and Castrol awards. PMG's Champ’s Foundation is a charity that has given new life to sportsfolk who have fallen on bad days, through a monthly pension scheme. who receive a monthy pension scheme.