Gautam Gambhir: The Dark Horse

Gautam Gambir. The first name that comes to mind when you need to get the Indian team out of a tricky situation. The one person the team can rely on to play whatever role may be required of him in any given situation, be it the aggressor, playing second fiddle or to block several balls without scoring in order to fetch India a draw.

A person who, in his childhood, aspired to protect the country by serving the Indian Army, is now contributing significantly in making the country proud by winning several matches for his country. His childhood dream makes him passionate towards each and every game he plays and one can sense his patriotism in the way he prepares for every match. And like our champions on the border, he too makes sure India is safe without even seeking credit for it.

A player who made his ODI debut on 11th April 2003 against Bangladesh, he now has 139 ODIs, 50 tests and 28 T20s under his belt. He has scored more than 9600 runs in all these three formats and is one of the most prolific run getters in the Indian team. His accomplishments comprise of more than just statistics. The manner in which he has scored these runs as per what the situation demanded has been highly commendable.

Amongst his numerous endeavors to lead India to victory, the one which is etched in the minds of every Indian is his innings in the 2011 World Cup final where he scored a 97 and took India to a position of safety. Another innings of importance that he played was in the test match against New Zealand in Napier in the second test of the 2009 Test series when he batted for more than four hours to rescue India and ensure a draw by scoring 137 runs. He has scored many more centuries and has made scores higher than 137 but this innings will always be remembered by Indians for the grit and determination he showed to take India to safety.

His performances validate his reputation as one of the most complete players in the world today. He has almost every shot that is required of a cricketer and his trademark walk down the pitch to fast bowlers is a viewer’s delight. On sub continental pitches, he is almost a terror for opposition teams and he has made his mark outside of the sub continent too. If only he checks his dabs to third man on bouncy pitches, he will be one of the most difficult batsmen to remove from the wicket.

Nevertheless, he has battled all his limitations and has come to be known as the one batsman who is adept at playing under any situation on any sort of a pitch. And at a time when a lot of youngsters are making their way into the Indian team, he is the perfect role model to guide and tutor them on not only the technical aspects of the game, but also the all important mental aspect.