The pint-sized batting maestro made a truly spectacular entry on the world stage with 774 runs in India's maiden series win over Garry Sobers' West Indies.

Arrival heralded, Gavaskar would go on to become the batting mainstay of the Indian team over the next 17 years, a period during which he became the first batsman to notch up 10,000 Test runs and also surpassed the Don's tally of 29 Test tons. Here is saluting the little master.