What do you think?
Rate this book
SMG: A Biography Of Sunil Manohar Gavaskar
Sunil Manohar Gavaskar - or SMG as he is known-was the individual who taught Indian cricket to believe in itself. An epitome of discipline, dedication and determination, he is a hero for millions, not only in India but the world over. He has been a mentor and trend setter for those who are seeking to follow his footsteps on the cricket field and an inspiration for those who seek excellence in other walks of life. The fortitude and self-belief that enabled him to scale every conceivable peak in his chosen profession continues to inspire youngsters. SMG is a comprehensive account of the remarkable life of the greatest opening batsman in cricketing history. The book takes the readers through SMG's formative years, and subsequently, his battles for his country. It attempts to analyse the different facets of the man his impeccable technique, his hunger for runs, his monumental concentration, his ups and downs, and above all, his resilience in crises, on and off the field. From his being declared the Best Schoolboy Cricketer in 1966, to his record-breaking centuries, the book takes a close look at his achievements, many of which were unprecedented in cricketing history. The teenaged prodigy of the 1960s has evolved into a Guru of the game in the new millennium. SMG maps Gavaskar s life from its middle-class beginnings, and proceeds to give readers an insight into the mindset and methods of a legend.
- GenresSportsNonfiction
537 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2009
11 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 5, 2020
This biography was in my collection for a long time like most of my books waiting to be read and then the day finally came where I decided to find this biography of SMG and started it.
It's not only a biography of Sunil Manohar Gavaskar but also of Indian cricket between the year 1970s to 1990s. So it's a biography of SMG but in a way, it's a biography of Indian cricket as well. SMG has been a gigantic name in not only Indian but World Cricket. Any number of aspiring cricketers would name SMG as an inspiration to pick up cricket or an institution unto himself for the techniques of defense and offense. Famously SMG faced the fastest bowlers of the era without a helmet or other security gears. Also, SMG can be credited for developing many safety gears that are widely used by batsmen now.
This biography covers SMG's life from childhood till the life after retirement circa 2008 because the book was published during that time. But this is somewhat about hero worship too as the criticism of SMG is mentioned but like it was unwarranted. However, it was mostly a balanced biography I liked it. And now I am on to the Autobiography of Steve Waugh at over 800 pages that would be a big book to read as well.
So catch you all on the next review, till then take care, stay safe, and Keep on Reading.
People who don't read generally ask me my reasons for reading. Simply put I just love reading and so to that end I have made it my motto to just Keep on Reading. I love to read everything except for Self Help books but even those once in a while. I read almost all the genre but YA, Fantasy, Biographies are the most. My favorite series is, of course, Harry Potter but then there are many more books that I just adore. I have bookcases filled with books which are waiting to be read so can't stay and spend more time in this review, so remember I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
It's not only a biography of Sunil Manohar Gavaskar but also of Indian cricket between the year 1970s to 1990s. So it's a biography of SMG but in a way, it's a biography of Indian cricket as well. SMG has been a gigantic name in not only Indian but World Cricket. Any number of aspiring cricketers would name SMG as an inspiration to pick up cricket or an institution unto himself for the techniques of defense and offense. Famously SMG faced the fastest bowlers of the era without a helmet or other security gears. Also, SMG can be credited for developing many safety gears that are widely used by batsmen now.
This biography covers SMG's life from childhood till the life after retirement circa 2008 because the book was published during that time. But this is somewhat about hero worship too as the criticism of SMG is mentioned but like it was unwarranted. However, it was mostly a balanced biography I liked it. And now I am on to the Autobiography of Steve Waugh at over 800 pages that would be a big book to read as well.
So catch you all on the next review, till then take care, stay safe, and Keep on Reading.
People who don't read generally ask me my reasons for reading. Simply put I just love reading and so to that end I have made it my motto to just Keep on Reading. I love to read everything except for Self Help books but even those once in a while. I read almost all the genre but YA, Fantasy, Biographies are the most. My favorite series is, of course, Harry Potter but then there are many more books that I just adore. I have bookcases filled with books which are waiting to be read so can't stay and spend more time in this review, so remember I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
June 5, 2016
I have to thank the author for making me remember my childhood days. Sunil Gavaskar is my cricket hero. My father introduced me not only comics but also cricket by buying sports magazines and making me to read.
The book like a batsman takes guard by going into the background of middle class Maratha family brining up. Then the author dives into his birth and how he took up cricket, his school days with much detail.
The author has interspersed the biography with interviews of Gavaskar friends related to the particular topic in the chapter. Devendra Prabhudesai, from mesmerizing Sunil's innings had given more details of how Sunny played, his foot work and what kind of strokes he used to tackle the bowler, which made me feel I was there and watching the match again.
Not only he has described in detail the highs and lows of Sunil but also the controversy. When one say about Sunil the detractors will point to two episodes in life the one is Sunny's one day innings of 36 not out and another misbehaviour in Melbourne when got out by Dennis Lillee. I will give you the second incident from the point of view of Sunil. The background of the story, India is down in the series and Sunil batting is not clicking. But in Melbourne Sunil concentration and wrist work returned and he is aiming to get a century on facing Dennis Lillee bowling attack. After reaching 50 a low ball snicks the bat and hits the pad, the umpire Rex Whitehead rises his hand for leg before. Sunil says bat pad and then he starts his walk to the pavilion.
He had completed about one-fourth of the walk back to the pavilion when his ears were alerted to an association drawn by one of the Australians between him and a part of the female anatomy. It was then that Kirmani's walk out threat of the previous day flashed across his mind. Something snapped.
Then he went back to the non strikers end and pushed his partner Chauhan to accompany him to pavilion. The part did by Gavaskar is not sportsmanship but they have provoked him. Below is what Sunil now says;
From Sunil's quote:
I have to admit that it was an absolutely inexcusable behaviour on my part, for whatever the provocation, I should have kept my cool as I was the captain of the team. Sport star 20.2.1999.
Still people say this that Sunil walked off, but they hide the fact what made him to take that decision.
Don Bradman's quote about Sunil Gavaskar
It pains me that I did not get the opportunity to play alongside Sunil, but then, I had retired from Test cricket before he was born.
On reading about some of the matches I had watched were during the fag end of Gavaskar's career, we had TV by 1981 but at the time not all matches are telecasted. We have to get the scores from the Radio commentary. One such incident I remember is when I was 10 years old, after finishing my early dinner sat near the radio for the commentary of Indian innings in Kingston, Jamaica 1983. He was going good then the commentator said Gavaskar was out on 20. That part was in the book which made me nostalgic.
Sunil's famous head gear:
Like Viv Richards Gavaskar also did not use helmet. But in the final year in his career Gavaskar used custom made helmet. Below is the extract.
Sunil unveiled another custom made accessory. Unlike his lightweight leg guards and boots, this one was visible only when he took his sun hat off. It was a skullcap made of fibreglass. He had got it made during his stint with Somerset, after seeing Mike Brearley wear it. The skullcap maker, who was based in Nottingham, had made the headgear in accordance with Sunil's instructions, one of which was that the top be left open, so that he could wear the sun hat over it.
The final chapters ends with the statistics of Gavaskar's batting performance. Since I am using Kindle I cannot read as the stats are given in small letters apart from this complaint the book is a must for Indian cricket fans and especially Sunil fans.
I again thank the author for the painstaking work he had did in this book.
The book like a batsman takes guard by going into the background of middle class Maratha family brining up. Then the author dives into his birth and how he took up cricket, his school days with much detail.
The author has interspersed the biography with interviews of Gavaskar friends related to the particular topic in the chapter. Devendra Prabhudesai, from mesmerizing Sunil's innings had given more details of how Sunny played, his foot work and what kind of strokes he used to tackle the bowler, which made me feel I was there and watching the match again.
Not only he has described in detail the highs and lows of Sunil but also the controversy. When one say about Sunil the detractors will point to two episodes in life the one is Sunny's one day innings of 36 not out and another misbehaviour in Melbourne when got out by Dennis Lillee. I will give you the second incident from the point of view of Sunil. The background of the story, India is down in the series and Sunil batting is not clicking. But in Melbourne Sunil concentration and wrist work returned and he is aiming to get a century on facing Dennis Lillee bowling attack. After reaching 50 a low ball snicks the bat and hits the pad, the umpire Rex Whitehead rises his hand for leg before. Sunil says bat pad and then he starts his walk to the pavilion.
He had completed about one-fourth of the walk back to the pavilion when his ears were alerted to an association drawn by one of the Australians between him and a part of the female anatomy. It was then that Kirmani's walk out threat of the previous day flashed across his mind. Something snapped.
Then he went back to the non strikers end and pushed his partner Chauhan to accompany him to pavilion. The part did by Gavaskar is not sportsmanship but they have provoked him. Below is what Sunil now says;
From Sunil's quote:
I have to admit that it was an absolutely inexcusable behaviour on my part, for whatever the provocation, I should have kept my cool as I was the captain of the team. Sport star 20.2.1999.
Still people say this that Sunil walked off, but they hide the fact what made him to take that decision.
Don Bradman's quote about Sunil Gavaskar
It pains me that I did not get the opportunity to play alongside Sunil, but then, I had retired from Test cricket before he was born.
On reading about some of the matches I had watched were during the fag end of Gavaskar's career, we had TV by 1981 but at the time not all matches are telecasted. We have to get the scores from the Radio commentary. One such incident I remember is when I was 10 years old, after finishing my early dinner sat near the radio for the commentary of Indian innings in Kingston, Jamaica 1983. He was going good then the commentator said Gavaskar was out on 20. That part was in the book which made me nostalgic.
Sunil's famous head gear:
Like Viv Richards Gavaskar also did not use helmet. But in the final year in his career Gavaskar used custom made helmet. Below is the extract.
Sunil unveiled another custom made accessory. Unlike his lightweight leg guards and boots, this one was visible only when he took his sun hat off. It was a skullcap made of fibreglass. He had got it made during his stint with Somerset, after seeing Mike Brearley wear it. The skullcap maker, who was based in Nottingham, had made the headgear in accordance with Sunil's instructions, one of which was that the top be left open, so that he could wear the sun hat over it.
The final chapters ends with the statistics of Gavaskar's batting performance. Since I am using Kindle I cannot read as the stats are given in small letters apart from this complaint the book is a must for Indian cricket fans and especially Sunil fans.
I again thank the author for the painstaking work he had did in this book.
June 5, 2014
Pretty good book, It successfully portrays the 1970-80 Era in Indian cricket.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews