Sportskeeda's Top 50 Indian Test cricketers of all-time (20-11)

#11 Gundappa Viswanath

Gundappa Viswanath was among the most popular players of his generation

The oft discussed debate in Indian cricket circles during the 1970s enclosed around Sunil Gavaskar and Gundappa Viswanath. The two diminutive batting masters polarised opinions to a massive extent. If the opener's unparalleled technique earned him brownie points, then his brother-in-law's dexterity against raw pace placed him on the same pedestal. Years later, legendary fast bowler Dennis Lillee would settle the dilemma by elevating Viswanath above Gavaskar for the former's high impact knocks against Australia.

Extra Cover: 10 things you should know about Gundappa Viswanath

As blasphemous as it may seem to threaten Gavaskar's stature as India's greatest ever batsman, Lillee's assessment was not too far from the target. None of Viswanath's 14 Test centuries came in losing cause.

The eternal stylish cricketer, he regularly upped his game when those surrounding him crumbled. His majestic 228-ball 97 on a pacy Madras surface against a rampaging Andy Roberts was the type of knock which almost every other Indian batsmen could only dream of playing.

Career Span: 1969-1983

Statistics: 6080 runs from 91 matches at an average of 41.93 with 14 centuries and 35 fifties