Since the World Twenty20 in South Africa, Gambhir must be credited for making the best of the opportunities that have come his way.
India opener is the highest run-getter in the world over the past 18 months and along with Graeme Smith and Kumar Sangakkara has made more centuries than any other batsman. DNA tracks his rise.
Gautam Gambhir’s marathon century made in over ten-and-a-half hours was significant in effort and provided a pointer to adaptability of arguably India’s most promising young cricketer. Since the World Twenty20 in South Africa, Gambhir must be credited for making the best of the opportunities that have come his way.
Having failed in the first innings, Gambhir grasped the gravity of the task at hand the second time he came out to bat in Napier. Virender Sehwag’s early dismissal meant India wouldn’t be able to take the bull by the horns. Gambhir played out 642 minutes, his longest Test innings in terms of balls faced and time spent at the wicket.
It was probably Gambhir’s most significant Test innings. It showed that like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman over the years, Gambhir has the aptitude to dig the team out of a hole. Gambhir has played only 24 Tests but his maturity would have made a player of 124 Tests proud.
It was during the World Twenty20 that a worldwide audience sat up and took notice of Gambhir’s strokeplay, but he had already gained a reputation as a fiery batsman, albeit one with a tendency to play with a devil-may-care attitude. Being in and out of the team didn’t help Gambhir’s confidence.
Then as India went from strength to strength to win the World Twenty20, Gambhir with three half-centuries, including 75 in the high-pressure final against Pakistan, scripted his own fairytale. His confidence sky-rocketed and as the country raised a toast to young India — after the gloom of the 2007 World Cup — Gambhir emerged as an unlikely hero.
Gambhir has hit a purple patch after finding security and comfort in opening the innings for India in all three forms of the game. Since the start of the World T20, Gambhir has scored more International runs than any other batsman in the world (see box) and has scored eight tons to share the top-spot in the list of century makers along with South African skipper Graeme Smith and Sri Lankan maestro Kumar Sangakkara. Also Gambhir has scored more runs than his illustrious opening partner Virender Sehwag. And all along, except for elbowing Shane Watson in a Test, Gambhir has remained calm and cool.
Chetan Chauhan, the former Test opener and one who served as a selector with Delhi, said, “When Gambhir was younger he had a tendency to play too many shots and was a touch impatient. He also had a tendency to play across the line. It resulted in him getting either bowled or trapped lbw often.”
Chauhan is impressed how Gambhir has evolved into a fine opening batsman. “He has made the challenging transition from being a solid domestic cricketer into a fine international player. It’s not easy and it’s heartening. He has worked hard on tightening his technique. He has developed the ability to play with the straight bat. Two years ago he was a rough diamond. Now Gambhir is ready to take on the best in the world,” is Chauhan’s reading of the Delhi opener. Last year was easily the best one for Gautam Gambhir. This year could even be better.
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