Gautam Gambhir leaves politics for this tournament, thanks PM Modi in a heartfelt post, says ‘..so that I can focus on cricket’

Bharatiya Janata Party MP Gautam Gambhir decided to step down from politics to prioritise his forthcoming cricket commitments. Gambhir, who previously represented East Delhi, conveyed this news to his followers and supporters via the social media platform Twitter on March 2.

The former cricketer said that he wants to focus on his cricket commitments because he loved playing the sport before he entered politics.

Gambhir asks BJP to release him from party

"I have requested Hon'ble Party President JP Nadda ji to relieve me of my political duties so that I can focus on my upcoming cricket commitments. I sincerely thank Hon'ble PM Narendra Modi for giving me the opportunity to serve the people. Jai Hind," Mr Gambhir wrote.

Gambhir joined the BJP in March 2019 and has since emerged as a prominent figure for the party in Delhi. He successfully contested and won the East Delhi seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, securing a significant margin of victory with 6,95,109 votes. He defeated Arvind Singh Lovely of the Congress Party and Atishi of the AAP.

His decision to withdraw from politics coincides with reports suggesting that he might not receive a ticket for the upcoming 2024 polls.

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Gambhir's cricket career

Gambhir made his debut in One Day Internationals (ODIs) for India in 2003 and played a crucial role in India's World Cup victories in 2007 and 2011. He is one of the most prominent figures in the country's premier sporting event, the Indian Premier League (IPL).

IPL’s 17th season will start from March 22.

Gambhir has been one of the most influential cricketers in the country. He has scored 4,154 runs in 58 test matches at an impressive average of 41.96. In ODIs, he has scored 5,238 runs in 147 matches with an average of 39.68. Currently, he serves as the mentor for Shahrukh Khan's IPL team, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

He has also found success as a commentator.
 

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