Gautam Gambhir: Kolkata's knight in shining armour
Sir Philip Sidney once wrote, “A true knight is fuller of bravery in the midst, than in the beginning of danger.” If ever those immortal words can breathe life, then Gautam Gambhir and his fierce determination stand at the periphery.
On the face of things, he is the captain as well as the leading batsman of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). However, only an imprudent ignoramus jumps to a conclusion based on just those two facets. For his team, the veteran means a lot more. Shaping their identity over the course of the last few Indian Premier League (IPL) seasons, he has instilled self-belief within the group and forged them into a captivating franchise.
Since entering KKR’s equation during the 2011 season, Gambhir has taken his side to the playoffs on as many as five occasions. Even though the 2017 edition did not see them reach the heights of 2012 and 2014, they were able to mount a reasonably impressive campaign filled with plenty of enduring moments. It does not come across as a surprise considering the left-hander’s immense credence in his crew.
From 14 league matches, the Knight Riders notched up 8 victories to secure a spot among the final four. After summoning the wherewithal to conquer the rain gods in the Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, they ran into eventual champions Mumbai Indians in the second Qualifier and had to part with their title hopes. But for one poor batting performance when it mattered the most, their fortunes could have blossomed even further.
At the epicentre was Gambhir, who marshalled his troops with supreme confidence. The experienced campaigner’s leadership was assured rather than forced and the burning desire to make a mark rubbed off on his teammates too.
Tenacity amidst uncertainty
At 35 and counting, Gambhir’s international future does not look too optimistic. Amidst uncertain times, a cricketer’s hunger begins to diminish as the twilight years loom on the horizon.
Although the southpaw received a couple of opportunities in India’s bountiful home season of 2016/17, he remained aware that the selectors were not planning on sticking with him for long and the stopgap experiment would cease to exist once injuries to the regulars healed themselves.
While there were calls from a few quarters to utilise his experience in the upcoming edition of the Champions Trophy, he himself knew of his rather bleak chances. As expected, he did not make the cut for the trip to England & Wales. When confronted by question marks over their future, lesser minds would have given in to the palpable grimness of the situation.
However, Gambhir was never known to be one to concede defeat. He channelled the same tenacity which saw him grow into one of the most reliable openers across all formats during a golden period between 2007 and 2011.
Only David Warner scored more runs than him in the 2017 IPL season. 16 games yielded 498 runs at an impressive average of 41.50 including four half-centuries. While his more fancied countrymen at the peak of their powers flattered to deceive, KKR’s skipper rose to the occasion and gave an apt demonstration of his effectiveness.
The successive half-centuries against Rising Pune Supergiant at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium and Delhi Daredevils at the Eden Gardens were adroit exhibitions on orchestrating run-chases. With precise shot selection and profound game awareness, he thrust the spotlight back onto him.
Power of free will
Despite the format being designed to induce an experimental approach, not many T20 teams across the globe have the persistence to follow through on their plans. Maybe the trepidation stems from the irony behind the prolongation of the horses-for-courses policy.
In such regard, KKR’s move to promote Sunil Narine as an opener defied conventional logic. Admittedly, Melbourne Renegades were the pioneers in noting the off-spinner’s mystic prowess with the bat. However, he did not get a sustained run at his advanced batting position in the 2016/17 Big Bash League (BBL).
Backed by a reassuring backroom staff, Gambhir not only gave frequent opportunities to Narine at the top of the order but also emboldened the Caribbean journeyman with free will. Irrespective of whether the innovative decision paid rich dividends or not, the sense of fearlessness emanating from such a gamble shed light onto his assertive style of leadership.
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The bowling changes, as well as field placements, mirrored his aggressive thought-process. While the productive combination of pace and spin kept the opposition thinking, employing close-in catchers helped set the cat amongst the pigeons. Never one to care about reputation, he continued to welcome MS Dhoni with an army of fielders eagerly awaiting the inside and outside edge.
Gambhir’s IPL legacy cannot be ascertained from numbers and results. Even as the flames come under threat from the surroundings, the man’s unbridled passion for the game and single-minded devotion to his team keeps the fire burning resplendently.