The phase evolving from late 2007 onwards is seen as a turning point in Indian cricket history. The men in blue, who had crashed out of the ICC World Cup earlier in the year, found a profound momentum altogether after the triumph in the ICC World T20, under the ever compelling leadership of MS Dhoni. From that tournament onwards, India transformed into a limited overs powerhouse and the 2011 World Cup victory at home was just the peak.
A fascinating aspect about India’s impressive elevation is the role played by Gautam Gambhir. The outspoken Delhi opener was a massive pillar of strength for the Indians in this golden period, as he didn’t just amass runs gracefully, but also provided a new edge to the young Indian outfit. This span is also well noted for India’s ascendency to the top spot in the ICC test rankings.
Post the 2011 World Cup victory though, form and fitness eluded Gambhir as he often failed to make his starts count. With the emergence of the likes of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma at the top of the order in ODI’s, Gambhir’s spot was all but gone. Nevertheless, the left hander remains an unsung hero for the Indian team, as his contributions have been vital to say the least. Below, we go through the five major reasons, which make Gambhir a true servant of Indian cricket.