Fans start Bring Back Gautam Gambhir campaign on Twitter

Gautam Gambhir had been an integral part of the Indian squad until a few years back. He was a member of the World Cup-winning squad in 2007 and 2011. Additionally, Gambhir was one of the celebrated players in the Indian Test line-up when they received the number one status in Test ranking for the first time in 2008.

Gambhir was instrumental in setting up wins in those finals in Johannesburg and Wankhede. Who can forget the vigilant 137 in 438 deliveries against New Zealand at Napier to save the Test match while acquiring the crease for almost 11 hours?

An Indian team without the southpaw was unimaginable at one point of time as Gambhir was expected to carry the baton of Indian cricket for future from the likes of Tendulkar, Dravid, and Laxman. Together with his Delhi partner and long time friend Virender Sehwag, Gauti had stitched some memorable partnerships to put their team in the driving seat in the first few overs of a match irrespective of the format.

However, it all changed post-India’s disastrous tour to Australia and England, which included Gambhir’s untimely slump in form. After India lost their first Test series at home after 9 years, the left-hander was made the scapegoat for the team’s appalling performance in Tests and as a result, he was first dropped from T20 side, then the ODI side and finally was eclipsed by the likes of Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay in the Test arena.

Parallel to Gambhir, Sehwag too was struggling with his form, and after India’s successful campaign against the Australians back in 2013, where they defeated the young Australians 4-0, the selectors invested their trust on Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay who impressed one and all with their form.

Unlike Sehwag, Gambhir was given few opportunities later in Test series against England in 2014 and recently in the grand home season against New Zealand. He struggled yet again in England but scored a fighting half-century against the Kiwis even with an injury, to display his character.

Since he was axed in 2013, he was heavily focussed on doing well with his IPL team Kolkata Knight Rider. With his dynamic leadership, he helped the KKR side to clinch the title twice in 2012 and 2014. But the echoes of bringing back the opener into the Indian squad started after his promising show in this edition of the IPL.

He is currently the purple cap holder in the IPL with 376 runs at an average of 62.66. No one has scored more boundaries or half-centuries in the IPL thus far. Thereby, banners of ‘Bring Back Gauti’ became a common sight in Eden Gardens and all the other venues in the IPL. The hashtag #BringBackGauti is currently trending on Twitter as well.

Many former cricketers and Pundits have voiced their opinions on the return of the spirited cricketer and the perennial fighter in Indian cricket.

With the injury to KL Rahul, who is yet another opener who has sealed his spot in the Indian ranks Gambhir’s inclusion in the Champion’s Trophy cannot be dismissed. Further, Rohit Sharma has not opened the innings for a while now. Shikhar Dhawan as well is coming into his own this season of the IPL, after he was dropped recently.

All these speculations have posed an interesting dilemma for the selectors. Only time will tell if we can see the fighter back in Indian Blues in the upcoming Champions Trophy.

That said let us go through some of the most popular tweets to signify the national support he has been receiving this season.