6 Indian batsmen with hundred in each innings of a Test match

Sunil Gavaskar

The original Little Master.

The Little Master is in a league of his own when it comes to scoring a hundred in both innings of a Test match, having done so three times in his illustrious career. The first occasion was the 5th Test of the famed 1971 tour of West Indies, played at Port-of-Spain from April 13-19. Batting first, India posted 360, with Gavaskar top-scoring with 124, an innings in which he hit 11 fours.

After West Indies responded with 526 all out, with tons from Charlie Davis and Garry Sobers, Gavaskar did even better in the second innings, notching up a double hundred. He batted for 529 minutes and hit 22 fours in his 220 before being bowled by John Shepherd. Chasing 262, West Indies survived with a draw, finishing on 165 for 8.

The second instance of Gavaskar scoring a hundred in each innings came during the 3rd Test of India’s tour of Pakistan in 1978, played at Karachi from November 14-19. India batted first and made 344 all out as Gavaskar led the way with 111 before being dismissed by Imran Khan. After Pakistan edged ahead with 481 for 9 built around Javed Miandad’s hundred, Gavaskar led the fightback for India, scoring 137 with the aid of 20 fours. India were, however, all out for 300 with Sarfraz Nawaz claiming five wickets and Pakistan went on to win the Test by eight wickets, chasing 164.

Sunil Gavaskar

The third and final time Gavaskar notched up a hundred in each innings came at Kolkata against the West Indies, during the 3rd Test of the series in 1978-79. India batted first, and Gavaskar was the lone ranger of sorts with 107 as the hosts managed only 300. It could have been worse but for Kapil Dev’s brisk 61 lower down the innings. Opener Basil Williams’ 111 saw West Indies responding with 327.

India took the game away from West Indies in the second innings, as Gavaskar made a brilliant unbeaten 182 and Dilip Vengsarkar made an equally impressive 157 not out. Chasing 335 for victory, West Indies had the narrowest of escapes as they finished on 197 for 9 in 105.1 overs. Karsan Ghavri and S. Venkataraghavan picked up four and three wickets respectively in the tense finish.