"We have to take the conversation away from 1983" - Gautam Gambhir recalls interactions with senior members ahead of 2011 WC semi-finals
Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir recalled how senior members of the team were desperate to win the 2011 Cricket World Cup. While the narrative surrounded the historic feat of the 1983 team, MS Dhoni and Co. were eager to script a legacy of their own.
India had to endure a long 28-year wait to reclaim the prestigious trophy. Dhoni's side became the first nation to win the tournament on home soil, with the experienced team embedded with star players living up to their expectations.
Noting how senior members of the team were itching to script a legacy of their own, Gambhir said in the Idea Exchange with Indian Express:
“Two or three senior players came to me before the 2011 WC semis and said ‘we need to win this tournament because we have to take the conversation away from 1983. We have to finish their thing off.’
Gambhir continued:
“I said I haven’t come here to finish anyone. I haven’t come here to shorten someone’s line. I want to win this to extend our line. If the media is giving them jobs from 1983 to 2011, that’s the media’s problem, not ours. We need to win the World Cup because we want this country to be happy."
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The left-handed opening batter played a knock for the ages in the final of the 2011 edition against Sri Lanka. He scored 97 valuable runs under pressure, setting up a solid foundation en route to a famous five-wicket win at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
"If you keep talking about one person day in and day out, it eventually becomes a brand" - Gautam Gambhir
Team India have had a lot of stalwarts over the years. Some of the players have attained legendary status and transcended their endeavors off the field as well.
Virat Kohli is the most popular sports person in India in June. (Source - Ormax Media)
Opining that neither the players themselves nor the BCCI was responsible for their elevation, Gambhir added:
"If you keep talking about one person day in and day out, it eventually becomes a brand. That is how it was in 1983. Why start from Dhoni? It started in 1983. When India won the first World Cup, it was all about Kapil Dev.
"When we won in 2007 and 2011, it was Dhoni. Who created that? None of the players did. Nor did the BCCI."
Record sponsorship deals by the brands and an ever-increasing broadcast presence have made the players a bankable asset over the years.
Did the 2011 World Cup-winning team overshadow their predecessors with the triumph? Let us know what you think.