Imran Khan used to remove anger he had for 'God' Sunil Gavaskar on me: Ramiz Raja

Former Indian cricket captain Sunil Gavaskar is widely regarded as one of the greatest in the sport of all-time. Sunil Gavaskar is renowned as the first-ever player to amass 10,000 runs in Test cricket, a milestone which stayed with him for 6 years. Sunil Gavaskar has amassed 10,122 runs in his Test career with a then-world record 34 centuries as well.

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Ramiz Raja reveals how Imran Khan used to get angry at him because Sunil Gavaskar scored runs

Recently, former Pakistan cricketer Ramiz Raja recalled about the first time he met Sunil Gavaskar. He also remembered how Imran Khan told the Pakistan dressing room that the 'Little Master' Sunil Gavaskar was the best batsman in the world. While speaking on a talk show Free Hit by Indranil Basu, Ramiz Raja said that when he first came across Sunil Gavaskar in the early ‘80s, he was like a 'God'.

Ramiz Raja further said that if Imran Khan called an opposition player the best batsman in the world, one had to believe it. Ramiz Raja added that he was in awe of what he saw despite Sunil Gavaskar being in the fag end of his career in the 1986-87 series in India. Ramiz Raja recollected that he would stand at short leg and Imran Khan would come and try extremely hard to distract Sunil Gavaskar during that series but the 71-year old used to be calm as ever by leaving the ball outside the off-stump.

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Ramiz Raja reckoned that Sunil Gavaskar would wait for the right opportunities to score runs. He added that whenever Imran Khan bowled banana in-swing deliveries on his pads, the 'Little Master' worked it away through short leg, through where he was standing and the ball would run and hit the fence. Ramiz Raja revealed that instead of getting angry at Sunil Gavaskar, Imran Khan would look at him because he was an opener as well. 

Ramiz Raja further said that Imran Khan would ask him to look at how Gavaskar was playing and then used to throw a couple of swear words at him. Ramiz Raja stated that he tells this story to Gavaskar even today. Ramiz Raja revealed that Gavaskar scored the runs but it was he who got the flak from Imran Khan. Ramiz Raja opined that Imran Khan was in awe of Sunil Gavaskar as well.

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Ramiz Raja opens up on the possibility of India-Pakistan bilateral series

India and Pakistan only play each other only in the International Cricket Council (ICC) tournaments and Asia Cup. The political ties between both the countries have made bilateral series next to impossible to be hosted. India and Pakistan last competed in a bilateral series in January 2013, which involved 2 T20Is and 3 ODIs. 

Recently, Ramiz Raja opened up on the possibility of a bilateral series between India and Pakistan. On the talk show same show, Ramiz Raja reckoned that Pakistan would be 70-80 per cent ready to host the Indian cricket team. Ramiz Raja hoped that an Indian-Pakistan series can take place again just like it did in 2004.

Ramiz Raja was the Chief Executive of the PCB during India's famous tour of Pakistan in 2004, while the late Indian cricket captain Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi's cousin Shaharyar Khan was the chairman of the board at the time. The series was called the 'Friendship Series', which was largely initiated by former Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and the then Pakistan premier Pervez Musharraf.

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IMAGE COURTESY: AP/ MUMBAI INDIANS TWITTER