"It was almost like climbing Mt. Everest for the first time" - Sunil Gavaskar recalls moment when he crossed 10,000-run mark in Tests

Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar was the first-ever player to cross 10,000 runs in Test cricket, while Joe Root on Sunday became the 14th player in Test history to achieve this feat.

Reaching such a landmark is incredibly special for any cricketer, given the pressure they are under throughout their career and the quality of bowling attacks that they face under different conditions.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Sunil Gavaskar revealed how he felt when he reached the landmark and compared it to the feeling of climbing Mt. Everest for the first time. Here's what he had to say:

“Once you get to that 10,000 it is absolutely magical. Magical because it had not been done before. Even 9,000 had not been done before, and I did it. But 9,000 is a four-digit number. 10,000 is a five-digit number, so it was almost like climbing Mt Everest for the first time.”

Sunil Gavaskar recalls celebrations after reaching the landmark

The legendary Indian opener also spoke about the efforts that his teammates took to ensure that the special occasion would be etched forever in his memory.

Sunil Gavaskar revealed how the then-captain Kapil Dev arranged some champagne for the celebrations, despite Gujarat being a dry state. He recalled:

“It was a slightly dazed feeling. But the thing I remember most is that we were in Ahmedabad. And it’s a dry place. But Kapil somehow managed to get some champagne! That was amazing. He was the captain, and he organized, with special permission of course, to get some champagne. I am not too sure whether today’s support staff and sports nutritionists would allow us to have even a sip of champagne in the middle of a Test match."

There might be many more batters in the future who will reach this landmark. But the fact that Gavaskar was the first one to do so will always make any Indian feel proud.