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SHASTRI LAUNCHES INDIA’S
“71-YEAR TEST”
Indian Cricket Ravi Shastri was on hand to launch ‘India’s 71-Year Test: The Journey to Triumph in Australia’, a new book by the Bradman Museum, at the Sydney Cricket Ground on the eve of the 2021 New Year’s Test.
The book reflects on India’s first 12 tours to Australia – from 1947/48, to face Don Bradman’s side, tracing the evening out of a rivalry dominated by the host nation until the turn of the Millennium.
India’s vast legion of fans celebrated the team’s success when Virat Kohli’s men won the showdown for the 2018/19 edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, making them the first team from India to pull off a series win on Australian soil.
Author R. Kaushik, one of India’s most respected cricket writers who has covered more than 100 Tests involving India, says day-night Tests and the ICC World Test Championship are necessary steps in sustaining Test cricket in an era dominated by white-ball cricket.
“They can, however, achieve the desired objective only if the sport’s leaders re-affirm their commitment to cricket’s most demanding and least forgiving prototype,” he writes.
“It is therefore incumbent upon Australia, India and England – the three most influential nations – to show the way.
“Cricket needs its Test format to not merely survive, but to flourish so that the traditional fabric of the sport remains as its engine room.”
Introducing the book today, India’s coach and former all-rounder Shastri, who coached the team to its first Test series win in Australia in 2018/19, tipped a fiercely competitive two Tests to come this Australian summer.
Shastri, the first Indian batsman to make a Test double-century in Australia, has written in his Foreword to the new Bradman Museum book: “There is no such thing as a weak Australian team.
“Australians hate losing, and it’s a thought process entertained not just by the 11 on the field, but the whole nation, the fans and the media.
“When a team tours Australia, there is a combined assault like no other.”
Accordingly, he rates Australia as easily the best country he has toured, inspiring visitors with a desire to win when faced with the toughest all-round test they will ever encounter.
Ravi also unveiled a portrait of Sunil Gavaskar which will hang in the Bradman Museum following the completion of the SCG Test match.
Sunil Gavaskar is one of 22 players that the Museum classify as Greats of The Game. Sunil visited the Museum as a Bradman Honouree in 2010, and is captured by artist Dave Thomas for a series of portraits which will be completed by 2022. Following is a tribute by former players to Sunil.
Tribute to former Indian Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar
Published by Churchill Press, the lavish 196-page coffee-table book has a RRP of $59.99 and includes more than 200 superb images from all 12 series, including many historic press photographs rescued from the USA by former Cricket Australia chairman Wally Edwards and donated to the Bradman Museum.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Phil Bonser, Managing Director, Churchill Press Tel: + 61 412 771 074
Rina Hore, Executive Director, Bradman Museum Tel: +61 408 253 80
R. Kaushik, Author Tel: +91 98453 96817
