Today, on his 44th birthday, we honor Gautam Gambhir for his extraordinary contributions to cricket, both as a player and a coach. He was instrumental in India’s triumphs at the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup. Gambhir also famously led the Kolkata Knight Riders to multiple IPL championships. His influence continues as he guides the Indian team to significant victories across various formats as head coach.
Former Indian cricketer and the current head coach of the men’s team, Gautam Gambhir, celebrated his 44th birthday on Tuesday. Throughout his playing career from 2003 to 2016, Gambhir was celebrated for his vital contributions in high-pressure games and formed a formidable opening partnership with Virender Sehwag, making them one of India’s most successful duos.
In his illustrious Test career (2004-2016), Gambhir played 58 matches, amassing 4,154 runs at an impressive average of 41.95. This tally included nine centuries and 22 half-centuries, with a top score of 206.
Gambhir’s golden period was undoubtedly 2008-09, where he was in sensational form, scoring 1,861 runs in just 13 Tests at an astounding average of 77.54, featuring seven centuries and seven fifties. This incredible consistency earned him the prestigious ICC Test Player of the Year award in 2009.
One of his most memorable Test performances was a resilient 137-run innings against New Zealand in Napier, where he faced 436 balls to help India salvage a draw and ultimately secure a 1-0 series victory. This marathon effort is still regarded as one of India’s finest overseas batting displays.
In One Day Internationals, Gambhir featured in 147 matches from 2003 to 2013, accumulating 5,238 runs at an average of 39.68. He notched up 11 centuries and 34 half-centuries in the format.
His performance during the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup was exceptional, where he finished as India’s second-highest run-scorer with 393 runs in nine innings, including four crucial fifties. Most notably, his heroic 97-run knock in the final against Sri Lanka at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium was instrumental in India successfully chasing down 275 runs, securing the World Cup trophy after a 28-year wait.
In T20 Internationals, Gambhir scored 932 runs across 37 matches at an average of 27.41 and a strike rate over 119. A standout moment was his match-winning 75 runs against arch-rivals Pakistan in the thrilling 2007 ICC T20 World Cup final, which played a significant role in India’s victory.
Overall, Gambhir’s international career spanned 242 matches across all formats, during which he accumulated 10,324 runs at an average of 38.95, featuring 20 centuries and 63 half-centuries. This achievement places him among the elite group of just 14 Indian cricketers who have scored over 10,000 international runs.
In the Indian Premier League (IPL), Gambhir enjoyed immense success as a captain, leading the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to two coveted titles in 2012 and 2014. As a batsman, he scored 4,217 runs in 154 IPL matches at an average of 31.00 and a strike rate close to 124, including 36 half-centuries.
Post-retirement from playing, Gambhir transitioned seamlessly into a mentoring role, proving his strategic prowess by guiding the Lucknow Super Giants to the playoffs in both the 2022 and 2023 IPL seasons. He also played a significant part in KKR’s recent title victory as a coach under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy, further cementing his legacy in the league.
As India’s head coach, Gambhir encountered initial hurdles, including Test series losses against New Zealand and Australia. Nevertheless, he showcased his leadership by guiding a revamped Indian squad to an impressive 2-2 draw against England in the UK, even without key senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin.
His Test coaching tenure currently stands at 16 matches, with six wins, eight losses, and two draws. In One Day Internationals, after an initial stumble in Sri Lanka, India under his guidance went on to win the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025 and secured a dominant victory against England on home soil.
Under Gambhir’s strategic direction, India’s T20I team has undergone a remarkable transformation. They notably won the T20I Asia Cup undefeated, culminating in a clean sweep of Pakistan across three matches, including the final. His T20I coaching record boasts an impressive 18 wins, two losses, and two ties, maintaining an unbeaten streak in bilateral series. He has truly redefined India’s approach to the shortest format of the game.