Gautam Gambhir had famously given his Player of the Match award to Virat Kohli in 2009. In an ODI contest against Sri Lanka, both Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli had scored centuries. While Gautam Gambhir was named the Man of the Match, he called Virat Kohli upon the stage and decided to give him the award since it was his first ODI hundred.
Former India captain Virat Kohli might go on to break the ultimate record of 100 centuries but it’s his very first 3-digit score that arguably would remain the most memorable in his life. Gautam Gambhir, who was Virat Kohli’s teammate when the youngster had bagged his first ODI hundred, recalled a heartwarming incident from the match.
Gautam Gambhir Decided To Give MOM Award To Ensure Virat Kohli Remembers His 1st Ton
In a conversation with Jatin Sapru on the latter’s YouTube channel, Gautam Gambhir was asked about his gesture where he decided to give the Man of the Match award, given to him, to Virat Kohli. The southpaw said that the first hundreds are the most special, and hence, he wanted to ensure that Virat Kohli gets that feeling.
It was back in 2009, with India locked in an intense contest against Sri Lanka. Both Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli managed to post triple-digit scores, requiring 316 in an ODI contest. While Gautam Gambhir posted an unbeaten 150, Virat Kohli recorded 114 runs. Gautam Gambhir was named the Player of the Match, but he called up Virat Kohli on the stage and gave his award to the youngster, winning the hearts of many.
“I didn’t do anything I shouldn’t have done. You might go on to score 100 international hundreds, which I am sure he will because that’s the kind of player he is but you will always remember your first international hundred. I remember my first international hundred that was in Bangladesh and the first ODI hundred against Sri Lanka.”
“So I wanted to make it special for him and that’s not something I or anyone else shouldn’t have done. That’s the kind of nature I have and that’s the kind of player he was. And what he has done, I am absolutely not surprised with what he’s achieved, and he’ll go on to achieve many more things,” he said.
Gautam Gambhir mentioned that he wanted to make Virat Kohli’s maiden international hundred against Sri Lanka in 2009 memorable.
Virat Kohli Scored 107 Off 114 Balls As He Stitched A 224 Stand With Gautam Gambhir For 3rd Wicket To See India Successfully Chase 316
India was chasing a huge target of 316 in the fourth ODI at the Eden Gardens stadium in Kolkata against Kumar Sangakkara and his men who were aiming to level the series as they were trailing 1-2 in the five-match ODI series. Upul Tharanga’s sublime hundred ensured that Sri Lanka ended with a fighting total of 315/6.
India got off to a horror start in the chase, with Suranga Lakmal cheaply dismissing the veteran duo of Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag. India lost the early wickets of Virender Sehwag (10) and Sachin Tendulkar (8) at 23/2 inside four overs and the responsibility budged on Delhi’s duo of Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir to steer India to the finishing line.
The pair played their stupendous shots and kept the strike rotation on to stitch a 224-run stand for the 3rd wicket. Virat Kohli scored his maiden international hundred before he was dismissed on 107 off 114, holing out to substitute M Pushpakumara off Suraj Randiv’s bowling. Gautam Gambhir remained unbeaten on 150 as India won by seven wickets with 11 balls to spare. India sealed the series 3-1.
India 317 for 3 (Gambhir 150*, Kohli 107, Lakmal 2-55) beat Sri Lanka 315 for 6 (Tharanga 118, Sangakkara 60, Zaheer 2-49) by seven wickets
Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli have shared the international stage on many occasions. They were even in the Indian team that lifted the 2011 ODI World Cup under MS Dhoni’s leadership. Virat Kohli is primed to break his idol Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 100 centuries in the years to come.