Sunil Gavaskar's Extraordinary Milestone: Only Indian To Score 100 And 200 In A Single Test

In the illustrious history of cricket spanning 145 years, scoring a century in each innings is a remarkable achievement accomplished on only seven occasions.

Among these remarkable instances, a batter hitting both a century and a double century in the same game has occurred only twice. What makes this feat even more extraordinary is the fact that out of these seven instances, only one Indian name shines brightly: the great Sunil Gavaskar . His historic achievement came during India 's tour of the West Indies in 1971.

Gavaskar's journey had been exceptional right from the beginning. In his first six Test innings, he amassed an impressive 430 runs at an astonishing average of 143.33. Little did anyone know that his performance was about to reach unprecedented heights.

India, opting to bat first, faced a formidable West Indian bowling attack. Undeterred, Gavaskar stood tall amidst the challenges as his team was bowled out for 360. His fluent knock of 124, his third Test hundred in just his seventh innings, displayed his immense talent. This innings featured 11 delightful boundaries, leaving spectators in awe. However, Gavaskar was far from finished.

The West Indies posted a commanding total of 526, securing a daunting 166-run lead. Once again, Gavaskar took guard as India's opening batsman, ready to etch his name into the annals of cricket history. What followed was an innings of a lifetime.

Faced with the ferocious West Indian quicks, Gavaskar exhibited extraordinary resilience, foreshadowing his future accomplishments. In the latter stages of the innings, he even battled through a toothache, proving his determination to excel.

Gavaskar reached his fourth Test hundred in just eight innings, but he did not stop there. With immense concentration and skill, he converted his century into a monumental double hundred, becoming the first Indian to achieve this remarkable feat. At that time, he joined the esteemed company of only Doug Walters in achieving such a milestone.

His awe-inspiring innings comprised an astonishing 22 boundaries, propelling India to a total of 427. Setting a target of 262 for victory, Gavaskar's heroic performance nearly clinched the game for his team, with just two wickets remaining. Ultimately, India emerged victorious, securing their first-ever Test series win in the West Indies.

Gavaskar's extraordinary career continued to flourish, marked by twin centuries on two more occasions. When he eventually retired in 1987, he had played 125 Tests , accumulating a staggering 10,122 runs and hitting 34 centuries, with an impressive highest score of 236 not out. He became the first player to surpass the milestone of 10,000 Test runs, holding the record for the highest number of runs and centuries in Tests for a period of time. Until 2001, Gavaskar remained India's highest individual scorer.

Sunil Gavaskar's name will forever be etched in the annals of cricketing history. His achievements on that momentous day in 1971 not only secured a glorious victory for India but also solidified his status as one of the game's true legends.