Gautam Gambhir joined the elite list of players, who have won IPL (Indian Premier League) both as a player and mentor. On May 26, 2024, Kolkata Knight Riders won their third IPL title after beating Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final at Chennai's M. A. Chidambaram Stadium. The legendary cricketer impressed critics and cricket enthusiasts with his mentoring style and strategies.
After Lakshmipathy Balaji, Ricky Ponting, Ashish Nehra, and Dwayne Bravo, Gautam Gambhir is the fifth player, who has lifted the IPL trophy both as a player and mentor. Gautam Gambhir is considered as one of the most prolific players in the history of the Indian Premier League. As per a report in The Times Of India, Gautam is the 16th batsman with the most runs in IPL history. The former cricketer had hit 4,217 runs in 152 innings and had played in 154 matches for Delhi Daredevils and Kolkata Knight Riders.
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Post Kolkata Knight Riders' IPL triumph, Gautam Gambhir was spotted celebrating with BCCI secretary, Jay Shah in Chennai. The picture went viral on social media, and people started linking the KKR mentor as the 'Best fit' for the position of Team India's head coach. For the unversed, BCCI is on a hunt for a suitable candidate, who can take the mantle from Rahul Dravid, as his tenure will end after the completion of the 2024 T20I World Cup.
With all this success and records, Gautam Gambhir is indeed going through one of the best phases of his life after a very long time. The cricketer is finally getting the due he deserves for his coaching and mentorship after Kolkata Knight Riders won their third title after their previous wins in 2012 and 2014. However, amidst all the buzz around KKR winning the IPL, an unheard story has surfaced on the internet from the year 2014, when Gautam was going through the worst phase of his life.
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In 2014, Kolkata Knight Riders reached into the final and had beaten Kings XI Punjab to lift their second title. It was a magical season for KKR, but it wasn't a cakewalk at all for them. There was a time in the campaign when KKR's captain, Gautam Gambhir was going through a major drop in his performance. The ace batsman got out on zero in three consecutive matches, and his confidence was ruptured to an unrepairable extent. The pressure of being the captain of his side and going out on three ducks in a row, Gautam started doubting himself.
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In a conversation with RevSports, Gautam Gambhir recalled the tough time and admitted that the 2014 IPL season was the first and only time when he had felt pressure. The former cricketer admitted that he was so scared to bat that he advised Manish Pandey to open in his place, who was in explosive form. However, Gautam's decision turned sour for Manish and the entire team, as they later got out without scoring. He admitted that he was ashamed of himself for sending Manish for the opening and coming on number three due to his bad form. He said:
"The only time I felt pressure was in 2014 when I got out for 3 ducks in a row as captain in Dubai. In the fourth match, I asked Manish Pandey to open and came in at No. 3. Manish was scoring runs at the time, and I did that because I was scared. And I have no hesitation in admitting that I was ashamed of myself. However, Manish got out without scoring and I was out for 1. I told Manish I would never do that again, and decided to face things head on."
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Further, in the same interview, Gautam Gambhir admitted that his decision to send Manish Pandey for the opening was wrong, and he took it due to immense pressure and nervousness. It was a mental battle for Gautam Gambhir, which he won during KKR's match against Kings XI Punjab. The former cricketer hit a four on Kane Richardson's first ball, which boosted his confidence. Gautam called that boundary the 'most important four' of his IPL career. He said:
"I was feeling the pressure. I was nervous. But that is what mental strength and courage is. You have to face the toughest challenges. In our next match, I opened the batting and hit Kane Richardson's first ball for a four. That was probably the most important four of my IPL career. Then things changed."
Gautam Gambhir returned to form and led his team, Kolkata Knight Riders, to their second title after beating Kings XI Punjab by three wickets. While Gambhir hit 23 runs in 17 balls, it was Manish Pandey's explosive 94 runs in 50 balls that thrashed Kings XI Punjab. There's no denying in saying that Gautam Gambhir has engraved his status as a 'Legend' in IPL with Kolkata Knight Riders.
What are your thoughts on Gautam Gambhir's confession about the only time he felt 'scared' in his illustrious career as a cricketer? Let us know.
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