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NEW DELHI: Former India opener Gautam Gambhir recently shared a defining moment from his early cricketing days that shaped his principles and career.
In an interview on Ravichandran Ashwin‘s YouTube channel, Gambhir recounted how he was not selected for an Under-14 team because he refused to touch the feet of the selector. This incident solidified his resolve to never touch anyone’s feet again.
“When I was growing up, when I was 12, 13, I remember my first Under-14 tournament.I did not get selected because I did not touch the selector’s feet, and from there on, I promised myself that I will never ever touch anyone’s feet. I did not and do not ever let anyone touch my feet,” Gambhir said. This decision, rooted in a desire for self-respect, influenced how he approached his interactions throughout his career.Gambhir, currently serving as a mentor for the Kolkata Knight Riders, reflected on the challenges he faced due to societal perceptions about his background. Despite coming from a well-off family, he emphasized his dedication to cricket and his determination to succeed on his terms.
“Every time, whether it was Under-16, Under-19, Ranji Trophy, or even initially in my international career, every time I would fail, people would say that you come from a family where you don’t need to play cricket. You can go and join your dad’s business,” Gambhir said. “That was the biggest perception that was hanging over my head, and people did not realize that I wanted it more than them because I wanted to beat that perception.”
In an interview on Ravichandran Ashwin‘s YouTube channel, Gambhir recounted how he was not selected for an Under-14 team because he refused to touch the feet of the selector. This incident solidified his resolve to never touch anyone’s feet again.
“When I was growing up, when I was 12, 13, I remember my first Under-14 tournament.I did not get selected because I did not touch the selector’s feet, and from there on, I promised myself that I will never ever touch anyone’s feet. I did not and do not ever let anyone touch my feet,” Gambhir said. This decision, rooted in a desire for self-respect, influenced how he approached his interactions throughout his career.Gambhir, currently serving as a mentor for the Kolkata Knight Riders, reflected on the challenges he faced due to societal perceptions about his background. Despite coming from a well-off family, he emphasized his dedication to cricket and his determination to succeed on his terms.
“Every time, whether it was Under-16, Under-19, Ranji Trophy, or even initially in my international career, every time I would fail, people would say that you come from a family where you don’t need to play cricket. You can go and join your dad’s business,” Gambhir said. “That was the biggest perception that was hanging over my head, and people did not realize that I wanted it more than them because I wanted to beat that perception.”
Gambhir highlighted that his resolve to overcome this stereotype drove him to work harder and achieve more in his cricketing career.
“When I was able to beat that perception, no other perception ever bothered me. For me, the toughest perception in my career or in my life was to beat that perception where people thought that I did not want it that hard, and I wanted it more hard than any of them,” he added.
Under Gambhir’s mentorship, the Kolkata Knight Riders finished the league stage as table-toppers with 20 points from 14 matches in the IPL 2024.
