Sunil Gavaskar was one of the worst players I’ve ever seen in the nets: Kiran More

Kiran More, the former Indian cricketer, has revealed how the legendary Sunil Gavaskar used to be “one of the worst” while batting in the net sessions. Gavaskar was the first player in the history of the game to notch over 10,000 runs in Test cricket. In 125 matches, the Little Master churned out 10,122 runs at an average of 51.12 to go with 34 centuries and 45 half-centuries.

Even as More wasn’t impressed with the now 70-year-old Gavaskar at the nets, he was astonished by how the latter switched gears during a match. More said that the legend used to worry him in the nets only to weave magic later.

“He was one of the worst players I’ve ever seen in the nets. He used to never like practising in the nets. When you see him practice in the nets and he’s going to play in a Test match tomorrow, and when he goes and bats in a Test match it’s 99.9 per cent different,” More told on The Greatest Rivalry podcast.

The best God-given gift given to Sunil Gavaskar is his concentration, says More

“When you see him bat in the nets it’s like ‘How is he going to score runs?’ And then when you see him next day morning it’s like ‘Wow’,” More stated.

More, who played 49 Tests and 94 ODIs for Team India, said that Gavaskar’s strength was concentration and he used to stay oblivious to the chaos outside.

“The best God-given gift given to Sunil Gavaskar is his concentration. The level of concentration he had was unbelievable. Once he would get into his zone, nobody could get close to him or he would not listen to you. If you’re talking next to him or dancing next to him, he’ll be in his zone and he’ll be focussing on his cricket,” More added.

Apart from Test cricket, Gavaskar did reasonably even in ODI cricket. In 108 matches, the Mumbai-born scored 3,092 runs at an average of 35.13 with one century and 27 half-centuries. Combing first-class and List A cricket, Gavaskar managed over 30,000 runs with 86 centuries and 142 half-centuries. He played his last match back in 1987 in an ODI against England in Mumbai.