Past glory

New Delhi It was the 29th October, 1983, the first day of the second Test match between India and the West Indies, and Sunil Gavaskar was making history.

The Indian master, facing one of the world's finest pace attacks, scored 121.

It was his 29th Test hundred which equalled the number scored set by the legendary Sir Donald Bradman.

A quarter of century later, Feroze Shah Kotla hosted another test match starting on the same date, this time between India and Australia.

Gavaskar spoke to Gulf News about his memory of that historic innings:

Gulf News: Do you remember that you touched the magic figure of 29 centuries 25 years ago at Feroze Shah Kotla?

Sunil Gavaskar: Oh yes. So, it is a silver jubilee. I do remember the innings in details.

Why did you suddenly decide to hook and pool against the West Indian pace battery during that knock of 121?

Not suddenly, in fact I countered them in the similar fashion in the early part of the same year when we toured West Indies.

The Kotla spectators were surprised to see you hooking Malcolm Marshall.

I think even Marshall was surprised. There was a bouncer in the first over from Marshall and I hooked it, which brought a frown on the bowler's face, followed by a cunning smile. I smiled back to say, "Right. Today you bounce and I am going to hook."

What was the best shot you played during that innings?

The on-drive off Malcolm Marshall. I reached the milestone through that boundary.

How much were you relieved to have finally equalled Sir Don Bradman's mark of 29 hundreds in Feroze Shah Kotla?

No doubt I was relieved. Before that I had been facing the same question when it would happen - be it in the hotel lobby, restaurant, in the airport - everywhere.

So I was pleased and relieved to score that 29th hundred.

How did you celebrate that night?

I still remember we had parties very late in the night. My wife was with me and we had a dinner, late in the night. By the time we came back from the ground to my room, numerous phone calls and messages were waiting for me.

The phone had to be finally taken off the hook to enable me to take a shower. There were gifts and flowers. People were streaming in with their congratulations and with bouquets coming in by the dozens, the room looked like a florist's shop!

Do you see any change in Kotla?

Kotla has changed a lot. There were not huge galleries in both sides of the ground. The dressing room has also been shifted. One finds a different environment in Kotla these days.