On Saturday, Assam's Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma received cricket icon Sunil Gavaskar at his office located in Lok Sewa Bhawan, Guwahati. The two discussed ways to enhance the cricketing framework in Assam.

Proposal for an International Marathon

Gavaskar, renowned for his exceptional skills against some of the toughest fast bowlers globally, suggested organizing an International Marathon in Guwahati, inspired by the Tokyo Marathon scheduled for 2025. CM Sarma expressed his enthusiasm for the idea, indicating that the government would thoroughly evaluate the proposal.

Social Media Highlights

The Assam Chief Minister shared a video of their meeting on social media platform X, stating, "Shri Sunil Gavaskar ji met me & proposed to organise an International Marathon in Guwahati on the lines of the Tokyo Marathon'25. We will be glad to host it & will definitely examine it. Like many of my generation, I also shared with him my childhood memories of those SUNNY knocks!"

Cricket Development Discussions

In addition to reminiscing about the glorious days of Indian cricket, they discussed the advancements in both red-ball and white-ball formats, as well as strategies to further enhance cricket in Assam.

Sarma noted that Gavaskar's extensive experience and insights would be invaluable in guiding the government's initiatives to cultivate cricketing talent and promote the sport within the state.

Notable Attendees

The meeting also included the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Devajit Saikia, and the Chief Minister's Additional Chief Secretary, KK Dwivedi. Gavaskar's illustrious career includes 125 Test matches and 108 One Day Internationals (ODIs), where he scored 10,122 runs in Tests at an average of 51.12, including 34 centuries, and 3,092 runs in ODIs at an average of 35.13. He was the first batsman to reach the milestone of 10,000 runs and 34 centuries in Test cricket.