When Gavaskar wore the fortunate Dadar Union cap when India beat Australia in Melbourne in 1981

He performed for the Dadar Union Sports Club, one of many iconic cricket golf equipment within the dwelling of Indian cricket. It was befitting then that Sunil Gavaskar, the previous India captain who in 1987 turned the primary man on the planet to attain 10,000 runs in Test cricket, has donated his Dadar Union cap alongside along with his memorabilia to the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) for its distinctive museum.

“Dadar Union taught me a lot about the truth that the sport is greater than the person, that you don’t take the sport as a right, that you must carry on giving again to the sport,” Gavaskar stated on the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday (August 23, 2025) night time.

But past displaying his affection for his alma mater, Gavaskar – whose statue with the ten,00th run celebration was additionally unveiled on the entrance of the MCA Sharad Pawar Cricket Museum – revealed the importance of the cap on show.

“That cap was worn on the day we beat Australia in 1981 (by 59 runs within the third Test) when Kapil (Dev) got here in at Melbourne and took 5 wickets (5/28). He was unwell the day gone by. He took painkilling injections and he got here on to bowl,” Gavaskar recalled.

“It was a touch-and-go state of affairs — I’m superstitious, as you in all probability know by now — I had my Dadar Union cap, which was fortunate. That is the rationale I wore that cap that day — not the India cap — as a result of they needed to rating some 60-80 runs and so they had misplaced three wickets.”

Earlier within the night, after his statue was unveiled together with Sharad Pawar’s on the entrance of the museum, Gavaskar remembered his childhood associates, late Milind Rege and late Hemant Waingankar, who’ve handed and devoted the fantastic second to all of the Mumbai cricketers who’ve performed with and in opposition to him from gully cricket to worldwide cricket.

His spouse Marshneil, son Rohan, daughter-in-law Swati and grandchildren Reha and Vivaan have been additionally in attendance together with former teammate Dilip Vengsarkar, whose statue will quickly be erected within the Wankhede Stadium premises.

“I’m truly confused as a result of I’m overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by this distinctive honour,” Gavaskar stated. “It doesn’t occur to everyone that there’s a statue simply outdoors the museum the place there’s going to be a lot extra footfall to see the museum and each time you enter the museum to have the ability to see the statue, so that’s one thing completely, actually distinctive so I’m overwhelmed.”

Gavaskar referred to the MCA – earlier Bombay Cricket Association – as his mom. “The Mumbai Cricket Association, I’ve stated up to now, is like my mom, held my hand after I was starting with cricket on the college’s degree, enjoying for Bombay faculties,” he stated.

“Thereafter as effectively, for Ranji Trophy and so on. It’s been completely only a privilege and an honour and a blessing to have the ability to play for Mumbai and I by no means ever dreamt that it might come to this.”