Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir. (Credits: BCCI)

Gautam Gambhir has been a phenomenal player for the Indian national cricket team. During his playing days, he dominated the opposition at the top and always scored runs in crunch situations of the game. Rated as one of the successful openers for India, he faced ups and downs in his life.

At some point of time, he was struggling to score runs for the team as the form has been the concern. However, there was one person who helped Gambhir get the best out of himself. Cricketer-turned-politician has now revealed how working with former Australian player Justin Langer helped him get a new perspective towards his game and life.

Gautam Gambhir, 4-Day Tests
Gautam Gambhir (Credits – Twitter)

Gambhir met Langer when he was hoping to make a comeback into the Indian team around five years ago and after making up his mind to work with a few former cricketers, Gambhir found himself on the right track.

“He was left-handed like me, an opening batsman like me and looked a little grumpy like me. I could relate to him. As it turned out, we both loved to talk cricket. We spoke about the game, batting, mental aspects and above all – life,” Gauam Gambhir wrote in Tuesday’s column for Times of India.

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Gautam Gambhir specifically liked Justin Langer’s research

Langer knew very well about Gambhir’s older batting technique and how it changed as the games progressed. Gambhir has made the right decision by seeking much-needed assistance from Langer who helped him approach the game from a different perspective. Had it not been for Justin Langer’s contribution, Gambhir’s cricketing career would have been ended before.

Justin Langer, Ashes 2019
Justin Langer (Credits – AFP)

“The thing that struck me most was Langer’s research. He knew so much about me. My first meeting with Langer happened at his small but extremely fascinating office cabin at the WACA stadium in Perth. He was the coach of the Western Australian state team.

A few pleasantries later, he showed me a clip of my batting for Kolkata Knight Riders on a computer screen on a small table in his office. I think in about five minutes he explained to me my problem. He knew my older technique, how it changed over the years and to where it was in 2015. I knew I had made the right choice,” Gambhir added.

Following a terrible tour of England in 2014, Gautam Gambhir had to wait more than two years to play a Test for India. He had a terrific IPL in 2016, amassing 501 runs from 15 matches for Kolkata Knight Riders at a spectacular average of over 39 with as many as five half-centuries. Later in that year itself, he was picked to play the third Test match against New Zealand at Indore where he scored a fifty.

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