Indian national cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir spoke about his innings in the 2011 World Cup final. He also spoke about the knock he played on 97, and said that he was thinking about completing his ton.
One of the key architects of the Indian team’s victory in the 2011 World Cup final was Gambhir. The current Indian team coach played a sensational innings that set the stage for MS Dhoni to finish the match for the team.
In the high-pressure chase, Gautam Gambhir came out to bat when India lost Virender Sehwag, and after that, Sachin Tendulkar also perished. The left-hander absorbed all the pressure and along with youngster Virat Kohli stitched the crucial partnership before taking the responsibility and attacking the bowlers.
Gambhir came in, played a positive innings and snatched the match away from the Sri Lanka National Cricket Team. The top-order batsman put in a vital effort and ended up scoring 97 runs. He had a great chance to score a century in the World Cup final, but he only had himself to blame.
Gautam Gambhir ran down the track against Thisara Perera and shook his stumps after missing an attempted shot for offside. That silenced the entire crowd at the Wankhede Stadium and also brought the Sri Lanka national cricket team back into the game.
Gautam Gambhir, speaking about the shot he took in the 97th minute, said that he had lost the ball in the final over. But before attempting that shot, he thought that he needed to chase the target and help the team win the final. In a video shared by BCCI, he explained to Virat Kohli:
“I made a mistake in the 2011 World Cup final and when people asked me if I had to take that shot, why I did it, the reason was that before I took it I was thinking about what I had to chase.”
The disappointment was not in not reaching 100 points, but in giving the opposition a break – Gautam Gambhir
Speaking further about his dismissal, Gautam Gambhir said that when he was 97, the idea of scoring a hundred came to him, along with the idea that he would be the first Indian to score a hundred in the final. He added that he was disappointed after he was dismissed, but it was not for missing out on the hundred, but for bringing the opponent back into the game. He explained:
“By the time I reached 97, I started thinking that I was just one chance away from achieving my milestone, how would I celebrate? I am going to be the first Indian to score a hundred in the final.
“The disappointment was not missing anything “In 100, but the disappointment was giving the opponent a break. Imagine giving the match back to the opponent.”
Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli will be seen in action again when India take on Bangladesh in the two-match Test series.
