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Gautam Gambhir: Tribute to a Persevering, Honest Man and Career

There is a news coming out of Delhi Daredevils' dressing room that Gautam Gambhir has decided to forego his $550,000 salary in the wake of disappointing performance of the team so far in the season. For the first time in history of IPL, a player would play for his team 'absolutely free'. For ones who are busy converting this figure into Indian rupee, that's close to INR 3.5 Crores. A game and tournament that are solely based on the premise of earning 'loads of money', that's exemplary gesture from one of the finest and hardworking cricketers from India. You wouldn't expect anything less anyway from Gambhir. He wears his heart on his sleeves. A pretty chuffed up guy who wouldn't tie the shoelaces until and unless he is prepared to win a game of cricket. Moreover, his humanitarian works off-late has endeared him to masses. He is nationalist and hasn't made a fuss out of it.

I know him from the time he was grinding it out in domestic cricket. He was in for the national reckoning back in even 1999. There were always two three names in domestic cricket who were hovering around for national call-up and Gambhir was one of them. I remember his debut, against Aussies in Mumbai Test, 2004. He was out for 3, caught behind on McGrath bowling and it wasn't a good shot. I thought at the moment: was this guy really deserving of all this hoopla? Now 14 years after that, he has amassed thousands of international runs and I have become more understanding of our great game. Dhoni always says that it's not always about the result, process must matter at the end of the day and Gambhir was part of a renaissance of Indian cricket. He has served his country well and with distinction.

And for that, I and many of my compatriots shall be grateful and humbled. This post offers a fitting, three fingers royal salute to a great man and competitor.


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