It was in April 1981 that Sunil Gavaskar landed in Sharjah to lead a team of Indian players against a Pakistani XI for an exhibition game at a makeshift stadium.
Little did the Little Master know that the exhibition match which drew thousands of South Asian expats to temporary stands, would lead to a lasting friendship with a Dubai-based cricket enthusiast.
It was on the day of that match that Sunny Gavaskar, arguably the greatest opening batsman in Test history and the childhood idol of Sachin Tendulkar, bumped into Shyam Bhatia.
Bhatia left India for Dubai in 1965 to work as an insurance professional before starting his own business in 1979.
But more than his success as a businessman, it was Bhatia’s passion for cricket and his role in developing the game at the grassroots level in the UAE which really appealed to Gavaskar.
It’s a friendship that blossomed over the years.
Now as a tribute to this friendship on Gavaskar’s 75th birthday, Bhatia gifted the Indian icon Sunny G, a book he compiled alongside Indian sports journalist Debasish Datta.
Gavaskar, the scorer of 34 Test centuries, admitted that he was initially reluctant to have a book published to celebrate the special landmark in his life.
Using his sharp wit and humour, the first man to reach 10,000 Test runs revealed how Bhatia’s persistence eventually forced him to show the white flag.
“I kept delaying it by saying we will do it, we will do it. But I was pursued like a bowler with a nagging line and length and eventually, I got caught behind,” Gavaskar said during the book launch at Mumbai’s Cricket Club of India.
Bhatia’s nagging line and length also worked their magic on some of the greatest cricketers who contributed to the book, each sharing their insight into what made Gavaskar such an iconic figure.
In an interview with Khaleej Times, the former Indian captain opened up about the new book, the gifts he has received from fans and why Bhatia’s cricket museum in Dubai is a ‘mind-blowing treat for cricket lovers’.
Q Before we talk about the book, can you tell us about your first memory of meeting Bhatia?
If I recall correctly, we first met in 1981 when the first match in Sharjah was played between a Gavaskar Xi and a Miandad Xi. Thereafter, every time there was a tournament in Sharjah we used to meet up.
Q How did that friendship blossom over the years?
Shyam’s love for the game and his hospitality for the Indian team while in Sharjah helped blossom this friendship.
Q Sunny G, the book, is such a wonderful gift to you on your 75th birthday. The list of writers includes names like Garry Sobers, Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards, Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, Allan Border and Zaheer Abbas…
Yes, this book is truly a very special gift from him (Bhatia) along with Debasish Datta who too has become a very good friend over the years. They convinced so many of my colleagues, contemporaries and friends to write their impressions about me. This is not easy to do as most are reluctant to give such interviews.
Q Can you share with our readers your memory of receiving the most memorable gift from fans in your life as a cricketer. A gift or a gesture, something very unique, which still holds a special place in your heart?
I have been fortunate to receive loads of gifts over the years, some really expensive ones too, but what I cherish most is the affection of the well-wishers which is spontaneous and can’t be bought. That said I look forward every year to receiving a birthday card from Dipak Saraiya from Ahmedabad. He has been sending me a card addressed as Emperor Sunny since 1971 and every card is unique with a heart-warming message and wish.
Q Just like the birthday card from Mr Saraiya, what is also unique is Mr Bhatia’s cricket museum at his residence in Dubai. It’s so beautiful and rich with signed cricket memorabilia, more than a hundred-year-old cricket books and magazines. Such museums can be seen only in famous cricket stadiums like the Lord’s and the Melbourne Cricket Ground, not at someone’s residence. How does it feel every time you visit Bhatia’s museum in Dubai?
Every time I visit the museum, I just thank God that our beloved game has such selfless and passionate lovers of the game. Truly one can get lost in nostalgia and recall one’s days as a kid with dreams in the eyes to play the game at a higher level. One can spend days and nights going through the items that are there (in the museum), the books, magazines and old films and videos are simply a mind-blowing treat for cricket lovers.
Q Apart from the museum, Bhatia is also known for his role in growing the game at the grassroots level in different parts of the world. He sends kits to countries like Japan and before the war started, he also helped Ukraine develop cricket. It’s very rare to see people using their privileges to help others selflessly…
This once again tells you why our game is blessed to have lovers like Shyam. He gets nothing out of it personally but is delighted to spread the game all over the world. Tell me how many people in the world would spend money out of their own pockets to send cricket kits to all parts of the world? I do believe that for this itself the ICC should recognise his services and honour him by inviting him to all the big-ticket events that they host. Many a time the ICC hospitality boxes are full of people who have done zilch for the game.
Q Now how can we not ask about the glory days of Sharjah cricket? You led India to victory in the 1984 Asia Cup, the first official tournament in Sharjah. Of course, before that tournament, there was the high-profile exhibition game between Gavaskar XI and Miandad XI in 1981. It was a great start which inspired Abdul Rahman Bukhatir (Emirati businessman and cricket promoter) to build the Sharjah stadium and the rest is history …
That exhibition match was the start of big cricket in the UAE. Mr Bukhatir is another visionary and lover of the game and deserves to be honoured by the authorities too. I don’t have any special memories of that first game but subsequently, there have been some thrilling games in Sharjah, which recently completed 250 internationals there. Fantastic.
Q. As a legend of the game, how impressed have you been with cricket in the UAE? The UAE under-19 team reached the Asia Cup final last year, beating Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Even the UAE women’s team have qualified for the Asia Cup in the previous two editions…
It’s heartening to see the progress that the UAE men’s and women’s teams have made. They have the talent and the drive and all they need is to believe in themselves to take the next big step.