Sunil Gavaskar Never Forgets When Denied Entry at Lord’s

July 10, 2025

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Sunil Gavaskar Never Forgets When Denied Entry at Lord’s

Sunil Gavaskar, one of India’s greatest cricketers, is known for his incredible batting on the field and funny stories off the field. During his 76th birthday celebrations at the Cricket Club of India, organized by the Legends’ Club, a hilarious story about the Sunil Gavaskar Lord’s entry incident 1979 was shared by former teammate Yajurvindra Singh. This tale from the 1979 Lord’s Test between India and England is both amusing and memorable.

In 1979, during the India vs England Test at Lord’s Cricket Stadium, Sunil Gavaskar faced an unexpected problem. By then, he was already a cricket superstar, but a steward at Lord’s refused to let him enter because he didn’t have his pass. The Sunil Gavaskar Lord’s entry incident 1979 happened when Gavaskar stepped out to give match passes to a friend. He was casually dressed, wearing slippers, which might have added to the confusion.

Yajurvindra Singh shared the story with a laugh. He explained that the steward knew exactly who Gavaskar was, as people nearby were asking for his autograph. However, the steward stuck to the rules and wouldn’t let Gavaskar in without a pass. Yajurvindra had to step in and call the club secretary to sort things out. After some back-and-forth, the secretary convinced the steward to allow Gavaskar inside. This Sunil Gavaskar Lord’s entry incident 1979 became a funny memory, showing how even a cricket legend could face such a mix-up.

The only time Sunil Gavaskar’s birthday coincided with a Test match on an England tour in his playing days (he made 5 trips), was in 1982. However, an injury while fielding meant he couldn’t bat on July 10 at the Oval.
Pic of SMG helped to the pavilion, courtesy Sportsworld pic.twitter.com/23NhlcA6B5

— Clayton J Murzello (@ClaytonMurzello) July 10, 2025

Later in the same Lord’s Test, Gavaskar turned the incident into a moment of fun. During the match against the MCC, he decided to have some laughs while fielding at second slip. He wore an ugly mask to tease the batsman and the umpire, Dickie Bird. The Sunil Gavaskar Lord’s entry incident 1979 took a humorous turn as Bird told Gavaskar the mask was distracting the batsman. Gavaskar cheekily asked, “Which rule says I can’t wear a mask at second slip?” Bird replied that it was disturbing him, not just the batsman. Gavaskar’s witty response was, “The batsman is focusing on the other side!” The 1979 Test match ended in a draw with Gavaskar scoring 42 and 59.

Another fun story shared by Yajurvindra Singh was about the nickname “Sunny.” Both he and Gavaskar are called “Sunny,” leading to a friendly argument over who owns the name. Yajurvindra said his name, linked to the Sun God, made him the true “Sunny,” while Gavaskar’s nickname came from English players mispronouncing “Sunil.”

During a meeting with Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan, they jokingly asked him to settle the debate. However, Bachchan cleverly avoided picking a side, especially since it was Gavaskar’s party. Yajurvindra also teased that if Gavaskar had pursued acting, he could have rivaled Bachchan, given his knack for imitating people.

The Sunil Gavaskar Lord’s entry incident 1979 is a delightful story that captures the lighter side of a cricket legend. From being stopped at the Lord’s gate to joking with an umpire and debating nicknames with a Bollywood icon, Gavaskar’s tales are as entertaining as his batting. These moments make him a true icon, both on and off the cricket field.