Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir

India

Full name Gautam Gambhir
Born October 14, 1981, Delhi
Current age 25 years 136 days
Major teams India, Delhi, Indian Board President's XI, Rajasthan Cricket Association President's XI
Batting style Left-hand bat
Bowling style Legbreak

Batting and fielding averages

class	mat	inns	no	runs	hs	ave	bf	sr	100	50	4s	6s	ct	st
Tests	13	21	2	684	139	36.00	1136	60.21	1	3	97	1	12	0
ODIs	19	19	0	480	103	25.26	631	76.06	1	2	71	2	10	0
First-class	86	140	14	6558	233*	52.04			20	25			56	0
List A	107	106	5	3332	142*	32.99			8	17			37	0

Bowling averages

class	mat	balls	runs	wkts	bbi	bbm	ave	econ	sr	4	5	10
Tests	13	0	0	0	-	-	-	-	-	0	0	0
ODIs	19	6	13	0	-	-	-	13.00	-	0	0	0
First-class	86	361	247	6	3/12		41.16	4.10	60.16		0	0
List A	107	37	36	1	1/7	1/7	36.00	5.83	37.00	0	0	0

Career statistics
Test debut	India v Australia at Mumbai - Nov 3-5, 2004
Last Test	India v Sri Lanka at Ahmedabad - Dec 18-22, 2005
ODI debut	Bangladesh v India at Dhaka - Apr 11, 2003
Last ODI	India v West Indies at Chennai - Jan 27, 2007
First-class span	1999/00 - 2006/07
List A span	2000/01 - 2006/07

Profile

As a 17-year-old stripling in 2000, Gautam Gambhir's attacking strokeplay at the top of the order for Delhi set tongues wagging in India, not least in the ranks of the opposition. Fast-bowler bullies have paid the price for mistaking Gambhir's slight build and shy demeanour for signs of meekness. His compact footwork, high bat-speed and a brashly youthful approach befuddled bowlers more than once as cautious defence was replaced by the aerial route over point. His success took him close to the Indian side when Zimbabwe toured early in 2002. He had pasted successive double-centuries � one for Delhi and another for the Board Presidents' XI against the tourists � and seemed to be a shoo-in as Shiv Sunder Das's opening partner. But the selectors persisted instead with the band-aid solution of Deep Dasgupta. Gutted but determined, Gambhir soldiered on, pressing his case with particular urgency in the West Indies with the Indian A side early in 2003. When several senior players asked to be rested after the World Cup, Gambhir was summoned from the wings into the national squad for the TVS Cup in Dhaka. And then, the biggest reward: a call-up into India's Test squad for the fourth Test against Australia at Mumbai, in 2004-05. (Anand Vasu)