Gautam Gambhir |
Gautam GambhirAustralia vs. India Match.....
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But living in separate homes hasn’t made Gautam and Ekta any less close, and the two meet all the time. They are the best of friends and can’t ever remember having playroom fights as children. Ekta shops for her elder brother and occasionally even advises him on what he should wear. “He loves casual clothes but my mother and I try to get him to try formalwear once in a while,” says Ekta with a grin. Gautam in turn, is always buying his sister gifts picked up from trips abroad. GAUTAM: Even though we were not in the same house, we never felt separated. As kids, we spent lots of time together as my parents’ home and my grandparents’ place were close by. Either Ekta used to come over or I was taken there. And as we grew up, we became closer. Our relationship grew and we’ve become more like close friends who confide in each other. We talk on the phone every day discussing everything including our personal problems. Yes, we went to different schools and never had common friends, but that has never really created any distance between us. I went to Modern School on Delhi’s Barakhamba Road, which is a co-ed school while she went to Presentation Convent. Later, Ekta attended Hans Raj College and I went on to Hindu, and we never really hung out together. But my sister is a sensible and understanding person and I turn to her in my moments of disappointment. For instance, if I am disappointed with my performance or feel a bit down, she’s the one I usually turn to. My parents tend to get tense and hyper if it’s anything to do with cricket, so I find it easier to discuss things with Ekta. She’s sensible and helps me take things easy. I usually call her and my parents when I am playing overseas, and there’s good news. For us, I would say, keeping in touch and making sure we are constantly communicating with each other has helped us cement our bond. And the good thing about Ekta is, while she may love watching cricket, she rarely discusses the game with me. This is quite a relief because sometimes, it tends to get a bit too much. Another thing about Ekta is that she’s not at all demanding. Even when she ties a rakhi, she does not expect me to shower her with gifts. But yes, I make sure to get her presents whenever I am travelling. EKTA: My brother, Gautam has always been tremendously supportive and that too, in more ways than one. Recently, when I finished my masters in advertising, I wanted to go abroad for an MBA. I applied to various universities in London, but my father was very worried and had reservations about my going abroad to study. It was my brother who convinced my dad that I should be free to study outside India. He said if I want to go and study abroad, there’s no two ways about it ? I must pursue it. It was only because of his intervention, that I will now be able to follow my dream. In many ways like that, Bhaiyya has always been there for me ? like a rock. He makes me feel protected and confident that I have a big brother to bank on. He is one person I can tell anything to and not be afraid. If I have made a mistake, or am upset about something or have had a fight with my parents, my brother is usually the first to know. He is protective, yet at the same time, not over-possessive. He lets me be and does not believe in interfering in what I do. Ours is a simple yet solid bond. He knows my friends and does not object to my going out even if it’s with friends of the opposite sex. Also, he trusts my choice of clothes for him. Sometimes the three of us ? Bhaiyya, our mother and I ? go out shopping and have a great time together. Thankfully, my brother isn’t too choosy about clothes. He’s happy with whatever I choose for him. Of course, I take great pride in being his sister. But in college, very few people knew that I was Gautam’s sister. Some of them could not believe that I’d never discuss my brother with them. One of the nicest things about my brother is his caring attitude. I remember when he won a trip to London while he was in school, he got me a pair of shoes, of all the things. Recently, when he came back from Pakistan, he bought me a bottle of perfume. And, another time he got me a T-shirt from Sri Lanka. But strangely, he has never introduced me to the other members of his team even though I’ve gone to see matches a couple of times. Perhaps, he’s not very comfortable with the idea of my being introduced to his teammates. Sure, my brother is reserved and quiet in his own way. But I’m not complaining about that! |
Career Statistics: TESTS M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St Batting & Fielding 0 - - - - - - - - - Balls M R W Ave BBI 5 10 SR Econ Bowling 0 - - - - - - - - - ONE-DAY INTERNATIONALS (including 21/04/2003) M I NO Runs HS Ave SR 100 50 Ct St Batting & Fielding 5 5 0 113 71 22.60 61.08 0 1 1 0 O M R W Ave BBI 4w 5w SR Econ Bowling - - - - - - - - - - FIRST-CLASS (1999/00 - 2002/03; last updated 24/04/2003) M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St Batting & Fielding 37 58 3 3224 233* 58.61 10 12 19 0 O M R W Ave BBI 5 10 SR Econ Bowling 40.1 6 153 5 30.60 3-12 0 0 48.2 3.80 LIST A LIMITED OVERS (2000/01 - 2003; last updated 24/04/2003) M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St Batting & Fielding 32 32 3 873 118* 30.10 1 5 8 0 O M R W Ave BBI 4w 5w SR Econ Bowling 1 0 7 1 7.00 1-7 0 0 6.0 7.00 |
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Gambhir was selected in India's squad for the 2007 ICC World Twenty20, which India went on to win in South Africa, beating Pakistan in the final. Gambhir performed well in the shortest form of the game, ending the tournament as India's top run scorer, with 227 at an average of 37.83, including three half-centuries which included a crucial 75 runs off 54 balls against Pakistan in the final.[6]
2008 started well for Gambhir. At home, he scored an unbeaten 130 in the Ranji Trophy final to help Delhi beat Uttar Pradesh by nine wickets just two days before the team for the ODI tournament in Australia was to be announced.
Gambhir was forced to miss the Test series in Australia due to a shoulder injury. In the 2007-08 CB Series, he scored an unbeaten 102 at The Gabba against Sri Lanka in a match washed out due to rain. Three weeks later at Sydney, he scored a career-best 113 off 119 balls against Australia, in a high scoring match which India lost by 18 runs. He finished the CB series as the leading run-scorer with 440 runs.
In 2008 Gambhir finally solidified his place in the Indian Test team with a string of high scores. Opening the batting with Delhi teammate Virender Sehwag, he scored 858 runs at over 61 in seven matches as of December including a double century against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. However in the same match he was involved in controversy when he was found to have thrown an elbow at Australia all-rounder Shane Watson while taking a run. Gambhir denied the charges in a media conference on the day of the incident, claiming the elbowing was unintentional, but pleaded guilty in the disciplinary hearing and served a one-Test ban for the incident, replaced by Murali Vijay. Despite missing the last match, Gambhir still topped the run-scorers list for both teams.
He was the leading run-scorer in the Test series against England in December 2008 and against New Zealand in early-2009, meaning that he had achieved this feat in three consecutive series.
Gambhir played his first major Test series outside the sub-continent, having toured New Zealand in 2009. In the second Test match he scored a match saving 137 in the second innings. He stood more than five sessions in the middle and faced over 430 balls. This innings led Virender Sehwag, Gambhir's opening partner, close friend and captain for the match, to call him 'The Second Wall' in reference to Rahul Dravid. He then scored 167 in the second innings of the Third Test to give India an unassailable lead, but rain helped the New Zealand batsmen to hang on for a draw. Gambhir, with 445 runs in six innings at an average of 89, helped India win 1-0 to script a series win in that country after 41 years.
He was named as the ICC Test Player of the Year for 2009, and was briefly ranked the No. 1 batsman in the ICC rankings in July; at the time India were not playing Tests and his points rating did not change, but other batsmen who were ranked higher lost points before regaining them.
He continued his run in the late-2009 Test series against Sri Lanka at home. He scored a century in the second innings of the First Test in Ahmedabad to force a draw after the visitors had taken a first innings lead of more than 300, and then combined in a double century opening partnership with Sehwag on the first day of the Second Test in Kanpur, scoring 167 himself and helping India to score more than 400 runs on the opening day. This set up their score of 642 and an innings victory. Following the match, Gambhir returned to the top of the ICC rankings.
Gambhir withdrew from the Third and final Test against Sri Lanka at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai in order to attend his sister's wedding. Vijay against stood in and scored 87 to help India win again by an innings.
He returned for the ODIs and scored an unbeaten 150 in the fourth match in Calcutta to help seal the series 3–1, guiding the hosts to victory in the run-chase.
In the First Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong in January 2009, Gambhir hid a rapid 116 from 129 balls. It was his fifth century in as many Tests and made him the fourth player to achieve this feat. Only Don Bradman has managed six centuries in as many matches.
In the 29th Test match against Bangladesh at Dhaka he rewrite the history of IVA Richards by scoring most fifties plus runs in 11 consecutive matches. In this match he scored 66 runs