"I have never cried like that before or after that" - Gautam Gambhir on the game that ignited his World Cup dream [SK Match Ki Baat exclusive]
Gautam Gambhir has disclosed that India's one-run loss to Australia in the 1992 World Cup made him want to win the global event. He revealed that the harrowing defeat made him cry the entire night.
India were set a revised target of 236 in 47 overs in a rain-truncated league game in Brisbane. They needed four runs off the final ball. Although Steve Waugh dropped Javagal Srinath's catch, Venkatapathy Raju was found short of the crease while attempting a third run to tie the game.
Speaking exclusively on the Sportskeeda show 'SK Match Ki Baat', Gautam Gambhir recalled the narrow defeat igniting his World Cup dream.
"After seeing a match, I wanted to win the World Cup for India. I remember the 1992 India-Australia World Cup game in Brisbane, which India lost by one run, and I actually remember that I cried the entire night. I have never cried like that before or after that, and I don't know why," he said (0:50).
The former India opener noted that he fulfilled his dream by winning the 2011 World Cup.
"I was an 11-year-old at that time. I cried the entire night and said that I wanted to win the World Cup for India. I said that in 1992 and I was able to fulfill that dream in 2011. I would have felt unhappy before or after that match but I didn't used to cry like that," Gambhir stated.
"I remember Venkatapathy Raju getting run out and India lost by one run. The match used to come early in the morning, so I used to watch that game after waking up at five in the morning, but I was never as sad before or after that game," he added.
Gambhir scored 97 runs off 122 deliveries in the 2011 ODI World Cup final. He added 109 runs with MS Dhoni (91* off 79) for the fourth wicket to help the Men in Blue chase a 275-run target down with six wickets and 10 deliveries to spare.
"I have never followed anyone" - Gautam Gambhir on his cricketing role model
Gautam Gambhir replied that he never followed anyone when asked about his cricketing role model.
"I have never followed anyone, honestly, and I have been criticized a lot for this as well. Everyone used to feel that he always says that he hasn't followed anyone but actually I have never followed anyone. I don't know why I haven't followed anyone," he said (0:05).
"I never felt that there was a need to have a role model. You should be your own self, and I was always trying to be my own self. Role models are those whom you follow blindly, but I have never blindly followed anyone to date," the cricketer-turned-commentator added.
Gambhir amassed 4154 runs at an average of 41.95 in 58 Tests. The Kolkata Knight Riders mentor scored 5238 and 932 runs at averages of 39.68 and 27.41 in 147 and 37 T20Is respectively.