Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir Biography

At one point of time in his career, Gautam Gambhir looked like becoming the backbone of Indian batting. He played match-winning innings in World T20 2007 and World Cup 2011, and was set to be a crucial cog of a very strong batting-order once the legends quit. If the two classics in the finals were his finest in the shorter formats, the marathon 643-minute match-saving knock at Napier in 2009 established him as one of the best in Test cricket.

Unfortunately, India’s horror tours of England and Australia after World Cup 2011 saw Gambhir struggling on all fronts, which was where perhaps it all started falling off for one of the most dogged and talented Indian batsman.

Gambhir formed one of the most successful opening pairs with Virender Sehwag in Test cricket. When Sachin Tendulkar was around, he remained India’s best No. 3 in ODI cricket. In T20Is, he had significant success averaging 27.41 (and was India’s leading run-scorer for some time); he also led Kolkata Knight Riders to IPL title wins in 2012 and 2014, proving he could have been a feisty captain for the Indian national side as well.

In Tests, he formed the best opening partnership for India, adding 4,412 runs with Sehwag in 87 innings. In 49 ODIs, they added more than 2,200 runs, and in T20Is, they hold the record for most runs added for any wicket for India.

Gambhir made his Test debut in 2004 after having already scored 5,000 runs, but it was his non-selection for 2007 World Cup in West Indies that proved to be the catalyst. Gambhir came back strongly in the World T20. And as far as red-ball cricket was concerned, he amassed 730 runs in only 5 matches for Delhi in Ranji Trophy 2007-08 at 91.

He made most of his return to the national side: there was a phase when he scored at least one fifty in each of 11 consecutive Tests (including at least a hundred in each of 5 consecutive Tests). He has also led India 6 times in MS Dhoni’s absence, winning all 6.

Gambhir also played a crucial role with 97 in World Cup 2011 final, especially after India lost Sehwag and Tendulkar early. He probably deserved the Man of the Match award as much as MS Dhoni did.

The tours of England and Australia in 2011 changed everything. Things went downhill, and Gambhir was eventually dropped after the selectors ran out of patience. He was dropped during the England series of 2012-13. He returned to the Test side as a backup opener in England in 2014, and he has remained away from the national side since.

On a different turf, Gambhir is a master. He built KKR into a champion side replete with grinders, T20 big-hitters, potent pacers and a plethora of spinners — all in T20 cricket. As batsman, Gambhir is one of the most prolific IPL run-makers.

Devarchit Varma

Gautam Gambhir Batting & Fielding Averages

Career	M	In	R	NO	HS	Avg	BF	SR	100s	50s	4s	6s	Ct	St
Test	58	104	4154	5	206	41.95	8067	51.49	9	22	518	10	38	0
ODIs	147	143	5238	11	150*	39.68	6144	85.25	11	34	562	17	36	0
T20s	37	36	932	2	75*	27.41	783	119.0	0	7	109	10	11	0
World Cup	9	9	393	0	97	43.66	462	85.06	0	4	37	0	--	--

Gautam Gambhir Bowling Averages

Career	M	B	R	W	Avg	EC	SR	5WI	10WM	BBI	BBM
Test	58	12	4	0	--	2.000	--	0	0	0/4	0/4
ODIs	147	6	13	0	--	13.00	--	0	0	0/4	0/4
T20s	37	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
World Cup	9	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--		0/4

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