Published: Sep 01, 2013, 01:55 PM (IST)
Edited: Aug 25, 2014, 12:52 AM (IST)
Gautam Gambhir scored five centuries in five Tests in 2009-10 but currently he finds himself on the sidelines © Getty Images (File Photo)
Gautam Gambhir scored a ton for Essex in a county championship game. But the road to getting into the Indian national team is still a proverbial mile away. Sarang Bhalerao explains why.
There was a time when scoring a century for India was like a stroll in the park for Gautam Gambhir. He scored five centuries in five Tests in 2009-10. Gambhir looked destined for greater things. But then the plot changed — dramatically and inexplicably. He now finds himself on the sidelines, facing a Herculean task to make a comeback.
One of the openers is another Delhi Southpaw, Shikhar Dhawan, who has been like a Colossus since his epic century against Australia. He is hungry, focussed, and absolutely fearless against any attack. Indeed, he has cemented his place in the side at the top of the order.
Murali Vijay, Dhawan’s opening partner in Test cricket, is bound to get a consistent run in the team after his impressive displays against Australia. In the initial part of his career, Vijay got into the team only when either Gambhir or Virender Sehwag was injured. In the limited opportunities he got, Vijay proved that he belonged to the highest level of the game. The head position, the balance, the temperament, and the technique were all there. There were no glaring shortcomings in his technique, apart from his tendency to play away from the body.
Both Vijay and Dhawan have not been tested much in foreign conditions. Dhawan has played just a solitary Test, whereas Vijay has toured with the team abroad and has played in South Africa and in the Caribbean. There have been no noticeable performances yet from the tall opener. So, all is not yet lost for Gambhir.
In the One-Day Internationals (ODIs), India have had success in the recent past. MS Dhoni’s faith in youngsters has paid rich dividends — success at the ICC Champions Trophy 2013 and the tri-series in West Indies underlining the point. The ODI series against Zimbabwe was a recce for some more youngsters, who grabbed the opportunities that came their way.
One of the moves that has worked well for India has been the opening combination of Dhawan and Rohit Sharma. The duo complements each other and the left-right hand combination is ideal to upsets bowling plans of the opposition. Their contrasting style of play makes it even more difficult for the bowlers to maintain his supremacy. Dhawan is graceful and plays attacking shots with consummate ease, while Rohit has shown a great inclination in playing the waiting game. The results have been impressive.
The Sehwag-Gambhir partnership has been one of the best but currently the young duo of Dhawan-Rohit has shown a lot of promise and of course the results.
At 31, Gambhir still has some amount of cricket left in him. The task to get back into the Indian team is arduous and knowing Dhoni’s proclivity towards promoting youngsters, the task for Gambhir is even more knotty. The only way for Gambhir is to consistently pile up the runs and hope for the best.
He has been a vital cog in India’s batting in the past. His innings of 75 in the 2007 World T20 final against Pakistan, and his classy 97 under pressure in the 2011 World Cup final against Sri Lanka are proofs of his big-occasion temperament.
The opportunity to play the grinding schedule of Country cricket has come at the right time for Gambhir. If he could bloom among the professionals of English cricket and emerge on top in seaming conditions, he will strengthen his case to regain his India place. The hundred against Gloucestershire is a step in the right direction. That he moved into the 90s with a four and a six is a reflection of that confidence. Gambhir is a proven customer at the highest level and his latest hundred could just be the elixir that could help him regain his lost confidence and consistency in making a comeback. The days ahead will provide the answer.
(Sarang Bhalerao hails from a family of doctors, but did his engineering. He then dumped a career in IT with Infosys to follow his heart and passion and became a writer with CricketCountry. A voracious reader, Sarang aspires to beat Google with his knowledge of the game! You can follow him on Twitter here)
