New Delhi, May 11: From the Indian subcontinent, a general once sent a famous one-word telegram -- ''Peccavi'' (I have sinned) -- to his bosses in Britain to signify he had taken Sind. A great pun indeed. Sunil Gavaskar has written a more words to signal his regret at a great sin he committed against the spirit of the game in his infamous 36 in the first match of the first ever World Cup, at Lord's the game's headquarter, in 1975.

Historians can now reassess Gavaskar's place in the game's history. The fact that the little master sounds genuinely contrite, even if it be so after 28 years, may not call for a re-vote on India's cricketer of the century award that went to Kapil Dev, the all-rounder who was once in a merry-go-round situation with Gavaskar for the Indian captaincy. Gavaskar has, however, set the record straight by confessing that he has never been able to forget the pathetic event for which he was neither questioned nor censured by the touring team management. He became the first to bat through a 60 overs a side limited-overs international innings but only in a decidedly shameful and peevish way, facing 174 of the 370 balls bowled and even striking one boundary.

Earlier, the little master was to say privately that it was his worst day at the crease as everything he tried early on in the matter of forcing the pace as India chased a target of 335 came to naught with the ball going straight to English fielders. After a while, he just stopped trying, he said. Bureau Report