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"Had His Poster Growing Up": Sundar Pichai Confesses Childhood Cricket Idol

Soumyajit Dutta

Sundar Pichai on being a Gavaskar fanboy [Source: @shimyohenry/X.com]Sundar Pichai on being a Gavaskar fanboy [Source: @shimyohenry/X.com]

In a heartwarming moment during the fifth Test between India and England, Google CEO Sundar Pichai made a surprise appearance in the commentary box, where he revealed his childhood admiration for Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar. 

The tech giant, who was attending Day 3 at The Oval, shared how Gavaskar's poster adorned his walls during his formative years, alongside his nervous fandom for Sachin Tendulkar, who is a year younger than him.

Sundar Pichai Opens Up On Childhood Nostalgia

Pichai's candid cricket memories came as India tightened their grip on the decisive Test, with Yashasvi Jaiswal's century and Akash Deep's gritty fifty steering the visitors to a commanding position. The CEO's boyhood connection to Gavaskar, one of India's original batting icons, added a nostalgic touch to the high-stakes match.

"I just ran into Sunny in the hallway. I used to have a poster of him growing up. Gavaskar was the main one. I was a big Sachin fan. But the irony was, I couldn't watch him when he was batting. I was so nervous he would get out, so I never watched him much, but really used to enjoy watching him," Pichai told on air to commentators with visible excitement.

Pichai Predicts India's Score

Pichai's revelation highlighted how Gavaskar’s era bridged generations of Indian fans before Tendulkar’s dominance. The CEO’s anecdote resonated widely, given his own journey from Chennai’s modest neighbourhoods to leading one of the world’s most influential companies—a trajectory mirroring the rise of India’s cricket icons.

As Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja accelerated India’s lead past 350, Pichai, wearing his fan hat, predicted, "As an Indian fan, you’re pushing for the score to get above 350, and I think they may get there." His optimism proved right as India posted 396, setting England a daunting 374-run target.

As stumps were drawn with England at 50/1, the game now hangs at the balance with the hosts still needing 324 runs to win and with two days left to complete the target.