‘Didn’t get selected because I didn’t touch selector’s feet’: Gautam Gambhir shares a defining career moment
PTC News Desk: Former India opener Gautam Gambhir recently talked about a pivotal incident in his career that molded his values and early cricketing days.
Gambhir explained in a video interview on Ravichandran Ashwin’s YouTube channel that he was passed over for an Under-14 squad because he wouldn’t touch the selector’s feet. His decision to never touch someone’s feet again was cemented by this experience.
“My first under-14 competition was when I was twelve or thirteen years old, growing up.
Since I didn’t touch the selector’s feet, I was not chosen, and I made a self-promise to never touch anyone’s feet again. “I never allowed anyone to touch my feet and I never will,” declared Gambhir. This choice, motivated by a need for self-respect, affected his approach to relationships for the rest of his career.
Presently working as a mentor for the Kolkata Knight Riders, Gambhir thought back to the difficulties he encountered because of the way society saw his upbringing. He stressed his commitment to cricket and his will to achieve on his terms, even if he comes from a wealthy family.
“Every time I would fail, be it in the Ranji Trophy, Under-16, Under-19, or even early stages of my international career, people would say that you come from a family where you don’t need to play cricket. You can go work for your dad’s company,” Gambhir remarked. “That was the biggest perception that was hanging over my head, and people did not realise that I wanted it more than them because I wanted to beat that perception.”
Gambhir emphasised that he worked harder and accomplished more in his cricket career because he was determined to shatter this misconception.
“No other perception has ever plagued me since I was able to overcome that perception. “Beating the perception that people had that I didn’t want it that hard, and that I wanted it more hard than any of them, was, for me, the hardest perception in my career or in my life,” he continued.
With 20 points from 14 games, the Kolkata Knight Riders of the IPL 2024 concluded the league stage as the top team under Gambhir’s guidance.
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