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News18
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
This Legendary Cricketer Was Almost Switched At Birth After Bath, Today He Turned 76
Last Updated: Happy Birthday Sunil Gavaskar: The Little Master was almost switched during birth. Gavaskar recounted the incident and revealed he was sleeping blissfully in fisherwoman's crib. Sunil Gavaskar turned 76 on Thursday. Born on July 10, 1949, Gavaskar propelled Indian cricket to new heights. He braved the tall, lethal bowling attacks of the world without wearing a helmet or breaking a sweat. He batted long sessions and piled on huge scores. The OG Little Master may have bid goodbye to the 22 yards in 1987, but he is still very much in and around the cricket grounds, performing commentating duties and sharing all the precious insights of the game. One fascinating insight that Sunny Paaji shared off the cricket ground was when he was almost switched at birth. Yes, you read that right. Appearing on an episode of Breakfast With Champions hosted by Gaurav Kapur, Gavaskar shared an anecdote about his birth that could have had a major impact on the landscape of cricket in India. Recounting the incident, the Test legend revealed that he was born with a birthmark near his ear on July 10. His uncle, who had visited him earlier, knew of it. However, in a later visit, the uncle had a horrific realisation when he saw the baby in Gavaskar's crib did not have the unique birthmark. Spooked, he searched around frantically before finally finding the little master. Gavaskar was blissfully snoozing in a fisherwoman's crib. Gavaskar relived the life-altering moment in his autobiography titled 'Sunny Days". 'I may never have become a cricketer and this book would certainly not have been written, if an eagle-eyed relation, Narayan Masurekar, had not come into my life the day I was born," he wrote. 'It seems that Nan-Kaka (as I called him), who had come to see me in hospital on my first day in this world, noticed a little hole near the top of my left earlobe," he added. 'The next day he came again and picked up the baby lying on the crib next to my mother. To his utter horror, he discovered that the baby did not have the hole on the left earlobe. A frantic search of all the cribs in the hospital followed, and I was eventually located sleeping blissfully beside a fisherwoman, totally oblivious of the commotion I had caused! The mix-up, it appears, followed after the babies had been given their baths," he concluded. Appearing on BWC, Gavaskar revisited the incident. Kapur gifted him the register entry of his birth. (Breakfast With Champions) You can watch it here: On 7th March 1987, Gavaskar entered the history books when he became the first batter of the beautiful sport to notch up 10,000 Test runs. He concluded his glorious 16-year career with 10,122 runs that consisted 34 centuries. His 34 centuries were the highest for any batter before cricket great Sachin Tendulkar broke the record in 2005. Gavaskar averaged 51.12. In his fascinating career, Gavaskar once received a haircut from umpire Dickie Bird while the match was on! Annoyed by his hair blocking his sight during a windy day at Old Trafford in 1974, Gavaskar asked Bird to cut his hair strands using the scissors the latter had to cut the threads on the ball. News18's viral page features trending stories, videos, and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Happy Birthday Sunil Gavaskar sunil gavaskar view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 10, 2025, 12:27 IST News viral This Legendary Cricketer Was Almost Switched At Birth After Bath, Today He Turned 76 Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
India Today
10-07-2025
- General
- India Today
How Sunil Gavaskar escaped becoming a good fisherman and bad batsman
On 10 July 1949, a baby boy was born in Bombay. That boy would grow up to face the fastest bowlers in the world without a helmet, break records in Test cricket, and change the way India saw itself on the cricket field. His name was Sunil Manohar Gavaskar. But if not for one small mark on his body and a watchful uncle, things could have turned out very his autobiography Sunny Days, Gavaskar recounted a story few would believe if it hadn't come from the man himself. Just after his birth, he was accidentally swapped with another newborn in the hospital. It was only because of his uncle—whom he affectionately calls Nan-Kaka—that the mistake was discovered.'On the day I was born, one of my uncles came to see my mother. He noticed that I had a little hole near my ear. Two days later, when he visited again and saw the baby in the crib next to my mother, he realised that baby didn't have the hole. So he said, 'Look, this isn't our baby!'' At the time, Gavaskar's mother was in a general ward. The newborns had been taken away for a bath and returned to their cribs. Somewhere in that process, he had been placed next to a fisherwoman. It was only thanks to that small hole near his left earlobe that his uncle recognised him and raised the alarm.'They looked around and, because of the hole, they found me in a crib next to a fisherwoman. They swapped the babies and got me back. I had obviously been switched after the newborns were taken for a bath. So, there it is. I could have grown up to be a fisherman!''THE FISHING OUTSIDE JOKE'During a podcast interview a few years ago, he revisited the story, tying it neatly to a weakness he sometimes showed at the crease.'Later, when I was playing Test cricket, I asked my mother about it. I think she felt a bit embarrassed about what had happened. Eventually, she asked me, 'Why do you want to know?' I said, 'Because I was next to a fisherwoman—and just look at the impact it had on my cricket career! I've been caught fishing outside the off-stump so many times.''It's a line delivered with his trademark wit, but there's truth beneath it. In another life, Gavaskar might have been casting nets along the coast, quietly becoming a good fisherman—while never discovering that he could have been something more. He might have been lost to cricket altogether, never known the bat, and perhaps, had he taken to the game later, never developed the technique that defined him. He might well have ended up a bad batsman.1983 World Cup-winner233 international matches13,214 runs in international cricketFirst batter to score 10000 runs in TestsHere's wishing Sunil Gavaskar - former #TeamIndia Captain & batting legend - a very Happy Birthday! BCCI (@BCCI) July 10, 2025That idea clearly stayed with him. In Sunny Days, Gavaskar writes:'Providence had helped me to retain my new identity, and in the process charted the course of my life. I have often wondered what would have happened if nature had not 'marked' me out, and given me my 'guard' by giving me that small hole on my left earlobe; and if Nan-Kaka had not noticed this abnormality. Perhaps, I would have grown up to be an obscure fisherman, toiling somewhere along the west coast.'And, what about the baby who, for a spell, took my place? I do not know if he is interested in cricket, or whether he will ever read this book. I can only hope that, if he does, he will start taking a little more interest in Sunil Gavaskar.'That small mark and his uncle's attention changed not just his life, but in many ways, the future of Indian cricket. Gavaskar went on to make his Test debut in 1971 and over the next 16 years, he became the backbone of India's batting line-up. He was the first player in history to score 10,000 Test runs and played with calm and confidence against the world's best fast bowlers, including the fearsome West Indies did it all without the protection of a helmet, relying on technique, discipline and courage. Over 125 Test matches and 108 One-Day Internationals, he became a symbol of Indian resilience. His influence extended far beyond the dressing remains the first Indian batsman to have scored more than 700 runs in a single Test series-a feat he achieved twice, both times against the West Indies. Over the course of his career, he broke Sir Donald Bradman's record of 29 Test centuries and became the first man to score 10,000 runs in Test cricket. Remarkably, his batting average never dipped below 50. When he retired after 125 Tests, he held the records for both the most Test runs (10,122) and the most Test centuries (34), more than any other player in cricket history at the time.- EndsYou May Also Like
India Today
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
When Sunil Gavaskar turned a new chapter
(NOTE: This article was originally published in the India Today issue dated January 15, 1971)Sunil Gavaskar, who made a spectacular entry into the arena of Test Cricket, has made his debut as an "author" with the same flourish. In the first instance, he took the world of cricket by storm and earned the admiration of all lovers of the game. I wish one could say the same thing about his maiden venture as an shy and modest 21-year-old Bombay university cricketer won the hearts of the West Indians and his own countrymen, not only by his prodigious feats with the bat, but his innate sense of sportsmanship and all that it implies. We see a different Gavaskar in the author of Sunny Days, which is his pity of it all is that Gavaskar himself recognizes that it is "always hazardous for an active cricketer to venture into the realm of authorship". And yet, he has not only chosen to open his mouth, but has put his foot into it!In the early chapters of the book one meets the Gavaskar, as before fame overtook him after his historic deeds in the West Indies in 1971. He takes his remarkable successes with the bat as a schoolboy and university cricketer in his stride, without being spoilt by his outstanding performances. He accepts his failure to get into the Bombay Ranji Trophy team with a sense of fatalism, but there is no bitterness to unsettle his poise. There is, in his mental approach to his uneven cricketing career, a balance that one would hardly expect from a young player anxious to make the fortune finally smiles upon him and he is selected for the West Indies tour, his first thought is for his friend, Saeed Ahmed Hattea, who is left out. On his way to the Caribbean, he is the young cricketer, as yet unspoilt by success, finding everything and everybody wonderful - a kind word for "friend" and "foe" alike, and the capacity to see the funny side of his phenomenal successes in the West Indies left him unaffected, except that he was happy that he didn't "disappoint" the members of the Cricket Control Board's Selection Committee, which had placed confidence in him, and the vast legion of cricket lovers at metamorphosis of Gavaskar begins, if one may see, when he is selected to tour England in the summer of 1971, soon after the team's triumphant return from the West Indies. A typical example of his penchant for unnecessary, often foolish, criticism of men and things is his comment about Lord's, which has always been regarded as the "Mecca of Cricket".advertisementHe says, "Quite frankly, I don't understand why cricketers are overawed by Lord's. The members are the stuffiest know-alls you can come across, and the ground is most uninspiring. It slopes from one end to the other. I shuddered to think of it as the Headquarters of Cricket!"In every sport, the decisions of the umpire or referee are not always palatable to the players concerned; but, very few sportsmen dispute the decisions, and more especially, come out with open criticism of the men assigned the difficult and unenviable task of supervising when he found the going difficult in England, particularly after his spectacular showing in the West Indies, started cribbing about umpiring decisions. He is particularly critical of England's umpire David Constant, about whom he says, "Umpire Constant was 'constant' in his support for England that year."The English Press has also come in for rough treatment at his hands, perhaps with some justification. However, the somewhat biased comments on the "London-based Indian journalists" during the unfortunate tour of 1974, are quite unnecessary. Even allowing for the fact that the Indian team had taken terrible punishment in the Tests, despite Gavaskar scoring a century in the Old Trafford match, it is difficult to understand why a cricketer of the stature of Gavaskar should have indulged in harsh criticism of anyone who dared to find fault with the is when Gavaskar talks about his visit to New Zealand and the West Indies early this year that he pulls no punches in giving expression to his views about people. For instance, he found the umpiring in New Zealand "was so partial that we thought we must have really played well to win the first Test".He adds, "but for the umpiring decisions we would have won the first Test by an innings. Also, we were denied victory in the second Test because of the bias shown by the umpires for the home team." Gavaskar's views on the New Zealand Press are equally things were really bad on the New Zealand tour, which was made miserable because of the terribly cold weather. But, I wonder whether it is, at all, advisable for one actually in the game to indulge in this kind of criticism, and create enemies all over. What is particularly regrettable is that, in this present trend of umpire-baiting, Gavaskar's complaints may not find ready most unfortunate part of Gavaskar's anxiety to find fault with all manner of things, is the criticism levelled against the spectators who came to watch the Test at Kingston (Jamaica). The provocation for this was the "way they shrieked and howled every time Holding bowled" Gavaskar makes this astounding statement: "All this proved beyond a shadow of doubt that these people still belonged to the jungles and forests, instead of a civilized country." Apart from being in bad taste, such sentiments cannot create friendliness among peoples, and cannot possibly be forgiven in a Gavaskar has, with considerable justification, pointed out the peculiar behaviour of the then Cricket Control Board's President, K. M. Rungta, who asked for Gavaskar's explanation for his slow batting in the first World Cup match against unkindest cut of all was the accusation that Gavaskar's batting "had a demoralizing effect on the younger players, and was also against the country's interest," as alleged by Manager G.S. Ramchand. One can sympathize with Gavaskar for the patiently foolish action of the Board President. The revelation also goes to show the hazards that Indian sportsmen face and the indignities to which they are subjected by over-zealous pointed out the more undesirable aspects of Sunny Days, let me say that the book is a commendable effort on the part of one who has no pretensions to being a "writer". Gavaskar's story is told in simple language, and is a sincere and honest effort to record his personal experiences as a cricketer and as a man. It is a reflection of the inherent honesty, however misguided at times, of Sunil is a book which everyone who loves the game will enjoy reading. The Publishers, who have "fathered" more books on Cricket in India than any other film, have reason to be proud of their "catch". The printing and get-up of the book are of good standard, and the large number of illustrations printed on art paper are an added attraction. Sunny Days is a book which will be read, whatever one may think about the tendency of Gavaskar to hit everyone and everything for a six, with to India Today Magazine- Ends
Epoch Times
04-07-2025
- General
- Epoch Times
This Budget-Friendly ‘Taco Tuesday' Meal Would Be Great Any Day
PITTSBURGH—It's the rare grownup, teenager, or child who doesn't love a good taco (or three) every now and again, if not on each and every Tuesday as the social media trend dictates. In Pittsburgh, it's easy to scratch the itch for this classic Mexican hand food, as we have our pick of so many great places to fill up on meat- or vegetable-filled tortillas in and around city. They're available everywhere from food trucks and small storefronts to full-service restaurants and even a gas station-turned-Mexican grocery in Coraopolis (La Poblanita). Our mouths water at the thought of tacos because they taste great, of course, and are extremely versatile; they're a good choice for vegetarians, vegans and carnivores alike. You can tuck almost anything—meat, veggies, fruit, beans, cheese, and even the occasional leftover—into a corn or flour tortilla. They're also a kitchen darling because tacos are ridiculously easy to make at home, even if you don't normally like to cook. And tacos make good financial sense in these challenging economic times, because they usually feature less-expensive cuts of meat like ground beef, and also can be built with rice, corn and beans. A package of 30 corn tortillas at my local grocery store cost just $2.15—about 21 cents per three-taco serving. That's why I was excited when a copy of 'Sunny Days, Taco Nights' by Enrique Olvera (Phaidon Press, $40) landed in my mailbox. The acclaimed Mexican chef has been experimenting with tacos for well over a decade at his Mexico City restaurant, Pujol, growing more inventive as he developed a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the staple he and his staff worked with every day. The cookbook includes 100 succulent recipes for home cooks—both classics like barbacoa, Baja-style fish, and al Pastor tacos and 'originals' like ones featuring fried Brussels sprouts, rabbit, octopus, and bundled green beans and peanuts. In the book's foreword, co-author Alonso Ruvalcaba writes that a taco 'is the opposite of exclusive: It is genuinely for the masses—not just in words or a damn sign, but for real. For everyone.' To keep costs down for this latest installment in our budget-minded dinner series, I opted for a taco that was a little different but still in the 'classic' category because it includes ingredients you could find in most grocery stores and a super-simple preparation: cochinada tacos. Cochinado means 'filth' in Spanish, which sounds pretty unappetizing. In this case, it refers to the crispy bits and pieces of meat that collect at the bottom of a chorizo grill after many hours of cooking sausage. In Olvera's book, they're made with a combination of finely chopped beef cecina (a cured, air-dried beef similar to prosciutto) and 'green' chorizo made with spinach, pork, peanuts, nuts and raisins, among other things. I went a more traditional route, swapping regular ground beef and chorizo, though I kept the traditional garnishes of onion, lime juice and cilantro. The original recipe is probably tastier, but my version was pretty delish, too—crunchy, slightly spicy, and definitely craveable. The best part: The entire dish took less than 20 minutes, during which I prepared the guacamole served as an appetizer and also the spicy salsa de arbol to be spooned on top for some extra zing. The breakdown on cost: $2.42 for the guacamole, $2.16 for the salsa, $7.37 for six tacos, and $3.01 for a pan of nine brownies gently spiced with cinnamon and cayenne pepper. That adds up to just $14.96 for two, with leftovers, or about $7.50 per person for a three-course, really tasty meal. The biggest expense after the meat (which wasn't that costly since you use a total of 1 pound) was the avocado. In fact, I almost chucked it from the menu when the first store I stopped at was charging $2 apiece, which would have blown my $15 budget. Then I saw them for almost half the price at another store—whew! The classic Mexican appetizer was back on, with one change: To make the guac guilt-free, I served it with crisp-cut carrot sticks—a budget vegetable I always have in my refrigerator crisper—instead of tortilla or corn chips. For dessert, I gave in to my love of chocolate with a really fudgy brownie that used very little flour and only one stick of butter. As always in this series, I went into it with a plan, made careful choices, and took advantage of ingredients I already had on hand (and you probably do, too). I didn't have to factor into the cost garlic, vanilla, cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne. As prices continue to climb—can you believe a single Granny Smith apple or yellow onion now can cost a buck or more?—I imagine it will become harder than ever to create menus that are interesting, taste great and are easy on your wallet. But at least egg prices are finally coming down! Cochinada Tacos PG tested Makes 6 generous tacos. 2 tablespoons olive oil 8 ounces ground beef 8 ounces ground chorizo 6 corn tortillas 1/2 white onion, chopped Chopped cilantro 1/4 teaspoon salt Lime wedges Salsa, for serving (recipe follows) Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add beef and chorizo, and saute for 10 minutes or until they just begin to turn golden brown. Transfer 3/4 of the mixture to a plate, and cook the remainder of the mixture until it is dark brown, about 5 minutes. (This is the cochinada.) Heat a skillet over high heat for 5 minutes. Add tortillas, flipping them continuously for 2-3 minutes or until warmed through. Transfer to a plate. Top each tortilla with browned meat and a spoonful of cochinada. Serve with onion, cilantro, lime wedges, and salsa. Recipe adapted from 'Sunny Days, Taco Nights'
CNA
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
Chinese singer Diamond Zhang Bichen to stage first Singapore concert in August
Famed Mandopop singer Zhang Bichen will stage her first concert in Singapore on Aug 1. The 35-year-old star, who also goes by Diamond Zhang, will dazzle audiences at The Star Theatre with her memorable tunes. Titled Epic Of Love, Zhang's concert will also have her performing alongside the First-Class Symphony Orchestra, allowing attendees to experience epic arrangements of her works. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 🍀 Biz Trends Media 🍀 (@biztmgp) Tickets for Zhang Bichen's concert will go on sale on Saturday (Jun 7) at 10am on Biz Trends Media's official website and Book My Show. Ticket prices will cost between S$98 and S$298. Before her career as a Mandopop star, Zhang Bichen was a member of the now-disbanded girl group Sunny Days. In 2014, Zhang left the group to focus on her solo career. She then took part in the third season of the Chinese reality talent show The Voice Of China, which she eventually won. Since then, she has been a familiar voice in numerous popular Chinese dramas, with her songs serving as the shows' soundtrack. Her songs have been featured on the likes of the megahit drama The Long Ballad, One And Only and The Legend Of Shen Li.
