Head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Rohit Sharma might be at the helm of Indian cricket now, but they were once adversaries in IPL. The duo of captain and coach has led Team India to Champions Trophy 2025 final where they will face the formidable New Zealand on March 9.
Star Sports re-posted a video where Gautam Gambhir revealed the batter who gave him a sleepless night during his IPL stint.
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Gautam Gambhir's tenure as captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) was marked by remarkable success, culminating in two IPL title victories. Joining KKR during the 2011 mega-auction, Gambhir effectively ended the team's title drought, leading them to their inaugural championship in 2012. He further solidified his legacy by guiding KKR to a second title win in 2014, defeating the Punjab Kings in the final.
Gautam Gambhir discloses batter who he feared the most during IPL
While Gambhir occasionally faced challenges with his own batting form, his captaincy prowess remained consistently high. He was renowned for his meticulous planning, devising strategies for every batsman and match situation.
However, in an old interview which Star Sports re-posted Gambhir revealed that one particular batter he feared the most in IPL. Surprisingly, he didn't name Chris Gayle or AB de Villiers, known for their explosive batting. Instead, Gambhir took Rohit Sharma's name as the sole batter he truly feared facing in the IPL.
"Only player who has given me sleepless nights - no Chris Gayle, no AB de Villiers, only Rohit Sharma because I knew I had to have Plan A, Plan B and Plan C as well. If Rohit is in, I don't think anyone can take it easy. The only batsman I feared in IPL is Rohit Sharma," Gambhir had told Star Sports.
Rohit stands out as one of only two batters to have amassed over 1000 runs against the KKR in the IPL. His impressive record includes 1070 runs scored in 34 matches, at an average of 39.62 riding on six half-centuries.
Moreover, Rohit's leadership was instrumental in Mumbai Indians' (MI) journey to their fourth IPL title in 2017. Under his captaincy, MI defeated KKR in the crucial second qualifier, securing their place in the final. They subsequently gunned down Rising Pune Supergiant to clinch the title.
Gautam Gambhir opens up on his bond with Rohit Sharma
Meanwhile, right ahead of the Champions Trophy in a video posted by ICC, Gambhir opened up on his bond with India captain Rohit.
"Forget about Rohit as a captain. I’ve had a fabulous relationship with him. I think he’s just a great guy, and that is something that’s important. When you’re a good human being, you end up becoming a good leader. That’s the reason why I feel he’s achieved quite a lot with his IPL franchise and has won the T20 World Cup as well,” Gambhir said in a video on ICC.
“But again, those are histories, that’s the past. Now we have a new challenge ahead. Hopefully, he can be at his best, not only from a batting point of view but as a leader as well,” former India captain added.
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