It was an evening full of fun, music, dance, entertainment, awards and rewards. Stars, performers, artists, legends and industrialists were all present. So were the Indian and Sri Lankan cricketers. Bollywood hottie Mallika Sherawat stole the thunder with a virtuoso belly dance. But the evening belonged to a certain Gautam Gambhir.
The India opener walked away with a grand double, bagging the Ceat Cricketer of the Year and Test Cricketer of the Year awards. With seven centuries in last nine Tests, few can perhaps match his credentials. He beat a competition that included the likes of Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis and Kevin Pietersen. But the Delhi opener was an automatic choice.
“It is an honour to win the award. This award is due to my teammates,” Gambhir said in a whisper that would not have been audible even to the front row audience in the small hall. But then Gambhir is not used to talking big. He doesn’t have to since his bat does it for him.
Gambhir gave enormous credit to his India and Delhi teammate Virender Sehwag. “He is my friend and a great teammate. Few can bat the way he can,” he said. “Sehwag is a legend.”
For the first time, perhaps, someone called Sehwag a “legend” but the dashing opener proved he was not far behind his Delhi mate. Sehwag ran away with the ODI Cricketer of the Year award.
The evening witnessed an impromptu debate on the future of Test cricket and the legendary Sunil Gavaskar, one of the three adjudicators, made the most shocking of statements — that he feared new ball.
But that was more in jest than in seriousness. And it was in tune with the mood of the function.
Comments