Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar speaks to Mukul Pandya of India Knowledge @ Wharton on the three Ds required for success in any vocation: discipline, dedication and determination.
Question: What kind of lessons in team work did your years in cricket teach you?
Answer: Well, first and foremost, as a batsman you cannot score runs, or cannot score a century, unless you have somebody batting at the other end for you, unless you have somebody who is taking the runs for you. Unless you have the confidence of somebody staying with you at the other end, you cannot get to a century. So, that is number one.
The other thing is that there will come a time, even during that innings when you are batting well, when the bowler is bowling so well that you might actually be better off being at the non-striker’s end; and if you have a striker who is good enough to take on the load at that stage, then it helps you to tire that bowler out and maybe go on to get a 100. So, you need somebody at the other end to be able to [do that], whether it is the number two batsman, number three, number 11—you need somebody to stay with you so that you get a 100.
Also, if you are a bowler, then you need the fielders to be able to take the catches, to be able to stop the runs being taken for you to take the wickets. So, it is in a sense a lot of teamwork. It also, in a way, reflects on how [well] you can possibly do in society, in the sense that the more talented batsman always looks after the lesser talented batsman in terms of trying to take more of the strike from a dangerous bowler. He is trying to take more of the strike, and maybe he will bat five balls out of the six-ball over, and maybe just give one ball to the lesser talented batsman.
So, you are looking after somebody slightly less talented, and I think that is probably what you want to do in society — that if you are [doing] well enough, you are trying to look after the less fortunate. It is a bit of teamwork.
Read the full interview: Gavaskar @ Wharton
Also read: Star loving Sunil Gavaskar a little more. Now.
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No comments to this post? Wait I am making one and here it is.
One big Y….A…..W….N…
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Also:
If you are good enough, think of yourself first. The rest will sort themselves. If not, blame the English.
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I completely agree with Sunil Gavaskar.Cricket has helped many individuals to excel in their Jobs by sheer team work.I have experienced myself that unless we complement each other, we can never be successful in any field.
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good to know the potential of team work behind any success.
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now you know how he got all those centuries. waiting at the other end while the unlucky colleague ‘tired out’ the tough bowlers. a big yaawn for the audience. thank god for 20/20. just kidding. i think he had genuine talent, and did hit a few run a ball hundreds or near-hundreds in onedayers. like dravid, talent will out, whatever the form.
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Is he talking any sense at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Doggedness….of all people, he forgot doggedness.
While it’s not a D, “pettiness” made plenty of appearances in his career. Just ask Raghuram Bhat.
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