Gautam Gambhir: The World Cup hero of India
The Indian cricket has been nurtured by some greats of the game over a long period of time. They have protected the game and interest in true sense and in the right spirit. In this context, there was one such name who wasn't as fearless as Sehwag, not having a flamboyant personality like Yuvraj and wasn't as cool headed and hard hitter as Dhoni. But he was simply a justification to his own name and he was none other than Gautam Gambhir.
Gautam Gambhir was one such cricketer who always considered the cricket field as a battlefield and hence could not give anything short of 100%. His dedication, perseverance and will to conquer the field always spoke about the volume of character he possessed. He was a person whose satisfaction would be brimmed if and only if you let your team emerge victorious at the end of the day and that could be easily judged if you carefully look at his innings or even to the interviews he gave thereafter. He didn't have an illustrious beginning to his career but during that 2007-2011 phase when Indian cricket achieved some great feats it was Gambhir who played a pivotal role either as an opener or as a No.3 batsman.
The two innings that he played in the finals of the two winning campaigns of India has already been well documented, but if you could understand the intensity of pressure under which he played then you would realize that how beautifully he anchored innings according to the situation. These two innings not only gave the nation a world cup but also can be epitomized as a true picture of inner calmness and self belief.
Soon after when Gambhir was dropped in the following year he still continued playing cricket for 6 years at any stage that was set for him. He went through all the grind during the course of 6 years. He played IPL, Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare and each time he had the same commitment irrespective of the stage he was playing on. He had some great IPL outings as a leader along with KKR. That helped him earn a spot in national team as well but unfortunately we couldn't get to see the same Gautam Gambhir that we loved to watch. This phase of Gautam Gambhir's career is a learning chapter for numerous other aspirants that one should never lose hope and should keep striving hard for a better tomorrow as you don't know what lies ahead for you.
As Gambhir was ageing along with his immense hard work at nets, soon he felt his legs heavy and decided to hang up his boots. Not with a tear or regret but proudly calling him as a cricketer of India. Moreover he went on hitting a century in his last game which was a clear indication that some great of Indian Cricket is signing off.
Gambhir would always be remembered for his sheer timing and the sweet connection sound that he made while hitting the cricket ball. His follow through and intent while batting was simply impeccable. Watching Gambhir bat was nearly seeing a magician moving his magic wand here and there.
His 'Gambhir' side and commitment would always be an inspiration to the coming generation.
#ThankYouGambhir!