In the living room 221b Baker Street, the piercing view of Sherlock Holmes settled on Dr. Watson, who was entangled in the treatment of espresso.
“Why so serious, Watson?”
“My favorite, Kohli, is out of running,” Watson sighed. “The fourth place for the king hurts. Who is another, Holmes? Gavascar, Tendulkar or David?” (See part 1 Holmes investigation) Credit in design: ARUN UNIYAL | India today digital
Holmes, pipe in hand, tapped the table. “Patience, Watson. Deduction requires accuracy. Now we are discussing the triumvirate: Savior (Gavascar), Destroyer (Tendulkar) and Protector (David).”
Watson leaned forward. “Let’s start with the fervid, the wall. Stable, right?” Design Credit: Vani Gupta | India today digital
Holmes nodded and switched the slides. “Watch the Rahula David Record: 13 288 Runs, 164 tests, diameter 52.31. Its diameter hay – in South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia – is 49.48.” Design credit: ARUN UNIYAL | India today digital
The graph has broken down and describes in detail the predatory resistance: 36 centuries, 63 1950s, 21000+ balls. Watson whistled. “This is a toughness. But it is not splendid. Fans love tendulkar’s taste or Kohli’s fire.” Design Credit: Vani Gupta | India today digital
Holmes’s eyes narrowed. “The triumph of substances above the style. David diameter 40.84 in the fourth shift shows steel and fire. The Indian middle order carried the crisis.”
“Now Tendulkare,” Watson urged. “Master Blaster. Is that one?”
Holmes Slide revealed Tendulkarov’s journey: 24 years, 15921 runs, 200 tests, average 53.78, 51 centuries, 68 fifties. HAR Average: 51.30, with 17 centuries, highest for guest Batsman. Design credit: ARUN UNIYAL | India today digital
“Records are just half the story, Watson. For 24 years, Tendulkar carried the weight of the expectations of the nation, like a mountain on its index finger. When he detonated, he felt as if all of India stood with him.”
Watson nodded. “Everyone loves Sachin. The stadiums chanted his name. Sachin-Sachin, the choir is still reflected.”
Holmes warned. “Tendulkara’s fourth shift, 36.93, hitchhikes.
“Fair Point, Holmes. Will you evaluate him over the fervid?”
“David beat the pitch with defiance. Tendulkar destroyed them with his aggression. The predatis seemed to defend himself, tendulkar dominated. David frustrated opponents like an impregnable wall.
Watson laughed. “Warne, bless him, lost a plot against Tendulkař. He confessed to the visions of Tendulkar that danced on the track.” Design Credit: Vani Gupta | India today digital
“Rawalpindi Express has also been reached,” Holmes took a look into the past. “Tendulkar’s record, his longevity and fearless cricket makes him modern. Perhaps the greatest of his generation.”
Watson paused and fought for words. “But it’s not the biggest Indian dough, Holmes? I’m a stump. Do you think it’s sung gavascar – a little gentleman?”
“I let the facts speak,” Holmes said.
The projector moved and displayed Gavascar statistics: 10 122 runs, 125 tests, diameter 51.12. Hyrene diameter: 44.80. Design credit: ARUN UNIYAL | India today digital
“The diameter of hay is stunning,” Watson said.
“Watson, it’s unfair to compare Gavascar with the other three,” Holmes’s words were heavy with nostalgia.
“Why?”
“The context, Watson, is king. The greatness of Batsman is not only defined. The quality of the pitch and playing conditions is just as important. The harder test, the greater the success.”
“I agree. In India, flattering flat compositions but outside.” Design Credit: Vani Gupta | India today digital
“Right. Gavascar faced possession, Marshall, Garner, Roberts without a helmet,” Holmes said. “Lillee, Thomson and Imran took their top. Epic. No modern Batsman could withstand such hostility. Thirteen centuries in West India against this furious pack. This is a master who tame the gia with a wand.”
Watson imagined the famous fight: Joel ‘Big Bird’ Garner plunged the ball from a height of nine feet on a small gentleman on the Barbados pitch. Cooling ran down his spine. “Gavascar opened the launch. A new ball was another animal, especially in the hands of Malcolma Marshall – it was thunder and lightning on the pitch …”
“… and Michael Holding whispered death. Tendulkar and David also faced wild pitch -ups – Donald, McGrath, Waqar, Wasim. Ale, Watson, Gavascar era were another animal.”
Watson looked at his chin. “Explain.”
“The pitch was a medium basis between fully exposed and modern. Partial packaging has reduced extreme weathering, but the playgrounds remained variable, deteriorated quickly and preferred the pitchors more than today. Drinks were fast in West India, turned in India, seams in England and jumping in Australia.
“Wow,” Watson whistled. “On modern playgrounds, with today’s protective equipment, less impressive than the pitch -ups than at the PACE Quartet Quartet from West Indies, Gavascar would average.”
“Maybe,” Holmes said.
“The test cricket changed a lot in the 90s. The market forces began to dominate,” he grinned.
“Television broadcasting wanted the tests to last at least four days, and thus pushing the dough-friendly, slow and low dough.
Watson scratched his chin. “But only 125 tests? Tendulkar played 200.”
“There were less cricket at that time. Also longevity is not everything,” Holmes faced. “Gavascar average 70.20 in West India Dwarfs Tendulkar’s 47.69.
“You missed something,” Watson said. “Gavascar’s fourth average of the shift is 58.25, the highest in the world. It is the only Indian that scored a double century in the fourth shift. Phenomenal.” Design credit: ARUN UNIYAL | India today digital
“Elementary, Watson. Batting Last is the strictest challenge. Gavascar was the best in the 4th shifts. Its 221 in the oval of 1979, the largest Indian shift in the 4th shifts, ate only the main class of Laxman-Dravid against Australia.
Holmes picked up the violin and played moody. “Watson, did you hear about swan songs?
Watson nodded. “He heard the legend – the ball twisted like a snake and jumped like a mamba.”
Holmes smiled. “A suitable description. It was 1987, against Pakistan. Gavascar scored 96, faced 264 balls. The second highest score was 26. Later he said he was in trance – he remembered two balls. These were his last shifts.”
“He saved the best for the last, Bravo,” he said greeting.
“Great men write their own end, don’t leave it to fate, doctor. Sunny could play longer. He sent to the top, in his last season on average 58.07.” Design Credit: Vani Gupta | India today digital
Verdict
Watson’s eyebrows. “So, who is ahead of us? David’s determination, Gavascar’s courage or tendulkar’s genius?”
Holmes leaned. “It is tight. The predominance of predatory consistency, clutch performance and impact on victory makes it impressive. The bird of prey – the first approach – keeps the goals (Reguarly in one -day, as emergency tests), launching from opening to 6 – his case is solid.
Watson’s impatience broke through. “Don’t play it safely. Give me a name.”
Holmes stopped, a shining tube. “David owned England where he turned the ball but fought in South Africa. Tendulkar was headed after Aussies, English and Proteas. Gavascar was Don in West India and Pakistan. Unfortunately, he lost.
“Grrr,” Watson pretended to be anger. “One name. Now.”
“He put my gun in my head, wouldn’t he?” Holmes got up from his lounge, spread his hands and bowed in theater: “Ladies and gentlemen, I go with Gavascar in a photo with Tendulkar.”
“Blimey,” Watson said. “Gavascar it is.”
“Yes, it is the biggest because he was fearless. He fought alone, he had no luxury with a bird of prey, laxman, sehwag and ganguly. In his era was Gavascar India. Hoping hover with her arrival, fading with her departure, a lone warrior who rebuilt the nation’s cricket.”
Watson jumped. “Should I blog it? Another survey?”
“Continue,” Holmes said, ripping the violin. “But warn your readers: Facts, not fandom, crown the champion.”
Watson immediately published:
After a thorough investigation, Sherlock Holmes inferred that Kohli came in 4th place in the field of 4 largest Indian test doughs.
The #Fabfourdebate Now he is on predators, Gavascar and tendulkar.
Who is your choice?
Vote: https://t.co/76cedjnyow
PS: Scroll down and find tracks – India Today Sports (@itgdsports) June 21, 2025
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(Sandipan Sharma, our guest author, likes to write about cricket, cinema, music and politics. They believe they are connected)
Published on:
June 21, 2025
