Batsman Gautam Gambhir is an emotional sportsperson. He often shares his feelings with fans on Twitter. These days, he is tweeting about his successful return to Test cricket. He thanked his fans after the third Test match against New Zealand. The outpour of emotions was understandable as the star had been out of international cricket for a long time. He had played his last Test match in England in 2014. He had been scoring in the domestic circuit, but still he was being ignored for the national side. KL Rahul’s injury opened a window of opportunity for him. The batsman was brought in to replace him for Kolkata Test. He got a chance to play in the third Test match and scored 26 and 50 runs.
“Often in life, you have moments when you are made to feel the world is rooting for you. Thank you for your love and support. Humbled,” he wrote in a Tweet.
On Thursday, he again tweeted his feelings out of being a part of the winning dressing room.
“A promising young team that will only get better. Glad to have contributed to the win that brought the mace back home!,” he wrote.
There were many heroes of the 3-0 Test win against New Zealand. But, Gautam Gambhir’s performance was special. It was special as his attitude and his eagerness to perform was something to learn from. Even somebody, who doesn’t follow cricket that much, can learn from him. Here are five lessons that can be learnt from Gautam Gambhir’s return.
Persistence and handwork
Gautam Gambhir was out of the national side. He was brought back in 2014, but failed to perform against England. But, that didn’t dishearten him. A batsman of his stature, who had even captained India, was struggling. But, he didn’t let his demons get the better of him. The champion kept on playing in domestic circle. His consistent performance in domestic games was ignored. But, finally, the national selectors took notice.
No retreat, no surrender
Anybody who has experienced failure knows the importance of being hopeful. Hope kept him going when the chips were down. He even tweeted that he would never back down.
“I’m disappointed but not defeated; I’m cornered but not a coward. Grit my partner, courage my pride…for, I must fight, I must fight,” he wrote after he was ignored for Test series against New Zealand.
“Nothing is over until you stop trying and I’m not done yet,” he wrote on Twitter on September 21.
“When I feel like quitting I think about why I started,” he wrote in another tweet.
These tweets clearly show his frame of mind. The champion was determined. He was ready. And, he knew his time would come. He was right.
Patience is friend
Gautam Gambhir was brought in for two test matches in place of KL Rahul. Before the Test match, in an interview, he said he just wanted to be a part of the winning dressing room. Of course, he wanted to play for Team India. Who wouldn’t? But, he was ready to wait. He wanted the team to win.
He was not chosen in the playing eleven in Kolkata. Out-of-form Shikhar Dhawan was chosen to open the innings. He failed miserably. After Dhawan’s injury, Gambhir finally got a chance to showcase his talent. And he grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
Positive intent
In the third Test match, Gautam Gambhir opened the innings. Normally, a player who is playing a match after a long time, will be cautious. But Gambhir, who already has a vast Test experience, didn’t want to get overawed with the enormity of the moment. He kept his nerve and believed in his abilities. He hit two sixes in two balls. And those two sixes screamed that Gambhir was back. He got out for a small personal score. But that showed how confident he was.
Courage
Gambhir had hurt his shoulder in the second innings of the third Test against New Zealand. The injury looked serious. The team physio escorted him out. Fans began to worry. Questions were being raised. Many thought that his Test career might be over. But, the next day, he was back. He came in and scored a brisk 50 runs. He scored his half-century in just 55 balls. Gautam Gambhir was back with a bang.
Happy birthday, champion!
