In the IPL 2024, Gautam Gambhir is enjoying himself. The Kolkata Knight Riders, who were coached by him, won the league championship. When he was on the field, Gambhir guided KKR to the team’s first IPL victory.
Gambhir has a stellar record with the Indian cricket team in addition to the IPL. His contribution to India’s victories in the 2011 ODI World Cup and the 2007 T20 World Cup was significant. But Gautam Gambhir has since disclosed how difficult it was for him to compete in age-group competitions.
During a conversation with Ravichandran Ashwin, Gambhir shared extensive insights about his formative years in cricket.
“When I tested out for my first under-14 competition when I was growing up, maybe when I was 12 or 13 years old, I didn’t get selected because I didn’t touch the selector’s feet. On a YouTube program, Gambhir said to Ashwin, “I made a promise to myself after that: I will never, ever touch anyone’s feet, and I do not let anyone touch my feet.”
When Gambhir faced setbacks, he claimed that his wealthy family background was also brought up.
“I recall that throughout my career, if I didn’t succeed in anything—the under-16, under-19, Ranji Trophy, or even my early international career—people would tell me that you didn’t need to play cricket to come from a wealthy family. You can work for your dad’s company; you have a ton of possibilities,” he remarked.
“That, then, was the main belief that was bothering me. People were unaware that my desire was greater than theirs. My goal was to overcome that impression. I’m never bothered by other people’s perceptions now that I can accomplish that. The belief that I didn’t really desire it that much was the hardest one for me to overcome in my life. Compared to them, I wanted it more.”
Gambhir discussed his friendship with Shah Rukh Khan, the co-owner of KKR, in the same program.
“It is also the owner’s trust; as I have stated numerous times in the past, I believe SRK to be the best owner I have ever dealt with. It’s not because I’ve returned with the KKR. The reason is that we had not spoken for seventy seconds on cricket during my seven years as captain. In all those seven years, he had never questioned me about cricket. Could you picture?” On the YouTube channel of Ravichandran Ashwin, Gambhir stated.