Idealism Forged In Intensity

A glittering international career draws to a close; Gautam Gambhir steps out of his crease for social work

- Qaiser Mohammad Ali

RENOVATION work is progressing at a fast pace at Gautam Gambhir’s home in Delhi. He will move into his tastefully redesigned abode only in January, but the second-floor lounge that houses his trophies and mementoes, collected over 25 years, is complete. the oldest silverware in his cabinet is the Man-of-the-Series trophy he won in 1993, representing the Ajmal Khan Cup-winning Ramjas Road Xi; the latest is a Man-of-the-Match award at the iPL in 2017, leading Kolkata Knight Riders.

But Gambhir’s latest memento is a silver plaque that the Delhi and District Cricket Association presented him on December 9 after his last competitive match, a draw against Andhra in the Ranji Trophy. Most aptly, the 37-year-old lefthander signed off with a ton. It signalled the end of a sumptuous, satisfying career. Spectators and viewers would remember his sturdy strokeplay—the punches and fierce cuts on the off; dances down the track to hoist spinners out of the ground, the bat not completing the pleasing arc of a complete follow-through (like, say Yuvraj Singh) but held in mid-air, lending his batsmanship not languid, fluid grace, but an air of solidity and dependability.

Several options beckon him now. “I’ve done a bit of commentary; only three T20s, but it doesn’t give you that action. Coaching is another option. But I’ll evaluate which will be the place I’ll enjoy going to. I’m someone who loves being part of action, so I can do that by going into coaching or by being a mentor,” Gambhir tells Outlook.