Sunil Gavaskar was the first true batting superstar of Indian cricket. Many know that he named his newborn son Rohan Gavaskar in honour of the great Guyanese stylist Rohan Kanhai. But that is only half the story. Rohan’s full name is Rohan Jai Vishwa Gavaskar, a name that quietly carries tributes to three cricketers Gavaskar deeply admired.
Pause for a moment and travel back to an era before Cricinfo databases and advanced metrics entered the hands of fans. Cricket then lived in memory rather than numbers. People did not debate averages or strike rates - they remembered strokes, the crack of a cut, the audacity of a hook played against fearsome pace. Kris Srikkanth’s slash through the off side in the 1983 World Cup final is one such immortal image.
When West Indies toured India in 1975, Andy Roberts unleashed hostility on Indian soil. In Madras, he tore through the lineup to claim seven wickets, subjecting the entire batting order to a trial by fire. Yet one man stood tall against the storm - Gundappa Vishwanath. With India reeling at 117 for 7, Vishwanath farmed the strike with remarkable composure, shielded the tail, and sculpted an unbeaten 97 to lift the total to 190. That resistance proved decisive, as India went on to secure a famous 100 run victory.
Whenever “Vishy” walked out to bat, crowds gathered not merely to watch runs being scored, but to witness art in motion, the exquisite cuts, the poetic square drives, the silken wristwork that seemed to defy the rigidity of technique. His 79 against Jeff Thomson in Sydney, his majestic 124 out of a team total of 255 against the West Indies in 1979, and his 114 out of 237 versus Dennis Lillee in Melbourne were not just innings, they were statements of courage wrapped in elegance. Anyone fortunate enough to watch him in that era would have no hesitation placing him alongside Gavaskar in stature.
Modern fans might raise an eyebrow at a first class average hovering around 40. Gavaskar, however, saw beyond numbers. He understood the weight of circumstance, the quality of attacks faced, and the artistry that statistics often fail to capture.
So when Gavaskar named his son, he chose to honour three cricketers who had shaped his cricketing world - Rohan for Rohan Kanhai, Jai for the regal former Indian opener M. L. Jaisimha, and Vishwa for Gundappa Vishwanath, without doubt one of the most beloved craftsmen the game has known.
Fate would later tighten this bond even further. Within two years of Rohan’s birth, Gavaskar married his sister to Vishwanath, turning admiration into family. Gavaskar himself said, "Vishy is the tallest batter", eventhough people here in Karnataka fondly calls Vishy as 'Kulla'.
Vishwanath scored 14 centuries for India and none resulted in a loss. Vishy turns 77 today, the only man to score a double century in first class debut and a century in test debut.
