Rohan Gavaskar may forever have to bear the mark of being the not-so-famous son of a famous father. Sunil Gavaskar's near-impeccable technique and rock-steady temperament have not echoed in Rohan perhaps as much as he would have liked. His left-handed batting is more attacking - and vulnerable - than his father's, and he bowls a slow, gentle left-arm spin that has picked up crucial wickets at times for Bengal. His first-class average keeps him forever on the fringes of higher honours, and he was a serious contender for a national one-day slot for quite a while before he finally got his chance, against Australia in the 2003-04 VB Series. Dropped for the subsequent tour to Pakistan, he was given another lifeline at the start of the 2004-05 season. Appointed captain of Bengal in 2001-02, he had two poor seasons as leader. Rohan decided to join the rebel Indian Cricket League in its inaugural season in 2007, representing the Kolkata Tigers. He was one among the 71 players granted amnesty by the BCCI in June 2009, marking his return to the official fold.
Samanth Subramanian June 2009