Gautam Gambhir was once India’s best batsman in Test cricket for two consecutive years. Irrespective of the opposition and playing conditions, Gambhir scored runs for India wherever he played. And it wasn’t just Test cricket. During that period, Gambhir was scoring runs for India across all three formats of the game.
But, after the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, Gambhir lost his touch and struggled against the moving ball. Innings after innings, Gambhir got out to swinging deliveries outside the off stump and the selectors had no choice but to drop him and send him back to domestic cricket to get his form back. It took almost two years for Gautam Gambhir to impress the selectors and get a place in the squad.
After KL Rahul was injured in the first match of the 3-match series against New Zealand earlier this year, Gautam Gambhir was called as his replacement and he was drafted in the playing XI for the third Test, after almost two years.
Gambhir suffered an injury during the match but scored a good looking fifty to earn a place in the ongoing series against England. Gambhir’s cause was helped by injuries to KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan, as both of them picked injuries in the Test series against New Zealand. All eyes were on Gambhir when he came out to bat in the first innings of the first Test in Rajkot. In the last session of day 2, Gambhir scored 28 runs and looked good for a big score. But, it wasn’t to be. The second ball he faced on day 3 was a good one by Stuart Broad and he got dismissed without adding any run to his overnight score.
Now, Gambhir fans were hoping for a good show in the second innings. England declared their second innings with a lead of 310 runs. Murali Vijay and Gautam Gambhir came out to bat after spending a lot of time on the field and once again, all eyes were on Gautam Gambhir. England’s Chris Woakes bowled very tight lines to Gambhir and swung the ball away from the left-hander in the second over of the innings. The last ball of Woakes’ over bounced a little more than expected and took the outside edge of Gambhir’s bat that went straight into the hands of Joe Root.
Gambhir looked back in disbelief and started the long back to the pavilion.
