Gautam Gambhir, the former Indian cricketer, delivered a direct and unvarnished observation when reflecting on the 2011 World Cup triumph. Gambhir highlighted that the media had overlooked the significant contribution of former star all-rounder Yuvraj Singh in propelling the Men in Blue to the World Cup final, instead choosing to emphasize MS Dhoni’s match-winning six that secured the title.
While it’s widely acknowledged that both Gambhir and Dhoni played pivotal roles with the bat in the final against Sri Lanka in April 2011, culminating in India’s victory after 28 years, Gambhir took a broader perspective on India’s campaign. He underscored the crucial roles played by Yuvraj, Zaheer Khan, Suresh Raina, Munaf Patel, and others in clinching the championship.
Gambhir expressed his viewpoint on this matter during an interview with RevSportz, saying, “We haven’t given Yuvraj enough credit for the 2011 World Cup. Even Zaheer Khan, Suresh Raina, and Munaf Patel. Sachin Tendulkar was the highest run-scorer, but do we talk about that? The media keeps fixating on that solitary MS Dhoni six. The obsession with individual brilliance has obscured the essence of teamwork.”
It’s important to note that Yuvraj Singh was rightfully acknowledged as the Player of the Tournament, having secured 15 wickets and scored 362 runs in nine appearances. Additionally, the pace maestro Zaheer Khan shared the distinction of being the top wicket-taker in the tournament with 21 wickets in his account across nine matches. Meanwhile, the legendary Sachin Tendulkar emerged as India’s leading run-scorer, amassing 482 runs in nine matches, the second-highest tally in the competition.
Turning to the World Cup final itself, Gambhir’s resolute 97 off 122 balls orchestrated India’s victory, supported by nine boundaries. The left-handed batsman received further backing from an exceptional knock by skipper MS Dhoni, who unleashed an unbeaten 91 off 79 balls, steering India to its first triumph since the historic 1983 World Cup victory.
Despite being tantalizingly close to achieving a century, Gambhir revealed that his focus wasn’t consumed by personal statistics. Instead, he concentrated on how his innings could contribute to the team’s success and bring pride to his country. In his own words, “When I played that innings, my mind wasn’t fixated on personal accolades. My objective was to bring joy to a billion people, to make my nation proud – that’s the sole purpose that propelled me to pick up that bat.”
