As a 17-year-old stripling in 2000, Gautam Gambhir's attacking strokeplay at the top of the order for Delhi set tongues wagging in India, not least in the ranks of the opposition. Fast-bowler bullies have paid the price for mistaking Gambhir's slight build and shy demeanour for signs of meekness. His compact footwork, high bat-speed and a brashly youthful approach befuddled bowlers more than once as cautious defence was replaced by the aerial route over point. His success took him close to the Indian side when Zimbabwe toured early in 2002. He had pasted successive double-centuries ­ one for Delhi and another for the Board Presidents' XI against the tourists ­ and seemed to be a shoo-in as Shiv Sunder Das's opening partner. But the selectors persisted instead with the band-aid solution of Deep Dasgupta.

Gutted but determined, Gambhir soldiered on, pressing his case with particular urgency in the West Indies with the Indian A side early in 2003. When several senior players asked to be rested after the World Cup, Gambhir was summoned from the wings into the national squad for the TVS Cup in Dhaka. And then, the biggest reward: a call-up into India's Test squad for the fourth Test against Australia at Mumbai, in 2004-05. He has had a stop-start career so far, unable to cement his spot in either Test or ODI team, but got another chance after India's poor showing in the 2007 World Cup, being picked for the one-day series in Bangladesh. A century on that tour, and a run of success over the summer in Ireland and India, culminated in a stellar performance during the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa. Gambhir was the second-highest run-scorer of the tournament, scoring four half-centuries, including a brilliant 75 against Pakistan in the final. Then came the slide - he managed just one fifty in eight ODIs against Australia and Pakistan at home, and was ruled out of India's Test series in Australia with a shoulder injury. But a strong Ranji Trophy campaign, which ended in Gambhir taking Delhi to the title with another hundred, and he was back in India's young one-day squad for the CB Series in Australia. He was one of the architects of India's astonishing triumph in that series, finishing as the overall leading run-getter with 440 runs and he carried the momentum into the IPL, ending second in the list with 534 runs. The sustained run of form helped him force his way into the Test squad for the Sri Lanka series in July 2008.

Anand Vasu (July 8, 2008)

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