Sunil Gavaskar is a former captain of the Indian cricket team who represented India and Bombay from 1971, 1987. His captaincy of the Indian team was considered as one of the first attacking ones, with the team winning the 1984 Asia Cup, and the World Championship of Cricket in 1985. He is also the former Sheriff of Mumbai. Gavaskar is a recipient of the Indian sports honour of the Arjuna Award and the civilian honour of the Padma Bhushan. He was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009. In 2012, he was awarded the C.K.Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest honour the Indian board can bestow on a former player.

He made his first-class debut for Vazir Sultan Colts XI against an XI from Dungarpur in 1966-67 but remained in Bombay’s Ranji trophy squad for the next two years without playing a match. He made his debut in the 1968-69 season against Karnataka. In 1970-71 he was selected in the Indian team to tour the West Indies. He was selected in the 1970-71 Indian team to tour the West Indies. After missing the first test, his runs in the second Test gave India its first-ever win over the West Indies. His performance in the Test matches against West Indies made him the second player after Doug Walters to score a century and a double century in the same match and remains the only Indian to date to achieve this feat. He also became the first Indian to make four centuries in one Test series, the second Indian after Vijay Hazare. He was the first Indian to aggregate more than 700 runs in a series and to date remains the only Indian to do so.

Gavaskar was part of the team that toured England in 1971. He was also part of the team when England toured India in 1972-73.

Gavaskar led India in a Test for the first time in January 1976 against New Zealand. India secured an eight-wicket victory in this series.

In 1977-78 he toured Australia and in 1978-79 he toured Pakistan. In Pakistan he scored two centuries in one Test. This made him the first Indian to score two centuries in one occasion. This made him India’s leading Test run scorer.

Some of his most memorable Test innings include the marathon 221 against England at The Oval in 1979 where he batted over 8 hours, twin centuries on a turning track against Pakistan in Bangalore in 1983, and scores of 96 and 63 in his final Test in 1987 at the same venue aged 38.

Gavaskar held the record for most Test runs scored (10,122) until it was broken by Sachin Tendulkar in 2005. He was also the first to play over 100 Tests and reach the 10,000 run milestone. His tally of 34 Test centuries remained a world record for almost two decades.

Gavaskar had a brief stint as India's coach in 2004-05 with limited success. He has remained involved with the game in a commentary role across TV and print media over the years.