'I promoted Manish Pandey': Gautam Gambhir reveals only time he felt ashamed as captain

Gautam Gambhir is one of the biggest stars in the history of Indian cricket. He is always known for his aggressive batting style and for standing unfazed in front of fast bowlers. However, the former KKR captain had also faced times, just like every other athlete, where they faced their hardest battles mentally. 

3 things you need to know

• In 58 matches, Gambhir scored 4154 runs in Tests for India 
• In 147 matches, Gambhir scored 5238 runs in ODIs for India 
• In 154 matches in IPL, Gambhir scored 4217 runs in 10 seasons 

Also Read: 'Keep talking about that one MS Dhoni six. You're obsessed': Gambhir lauds Yuvraj Singh

Gautam Gambhir shares the one and only time he felt under pressure

Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir claims that he has only felt the pressure of performance on one occasion in his entire career. This incidence of pressure was limited to the 2014 Indian Premier League (IPL). Gambhir's brilliant career is littered with memorable innings for the Indian cricket team, most notably his 75-run haul in the 2007 T20 World Cup final and his 97-run haul in the 2011 World Cup final.

Gambhir has acknowledged that the pressure increased during the 2014 IPL when he faced a string of three consecutive ducks. He was under such much strain as a result of this experience that he was unable to even stand up to take the first pitch in the fourth game. He can clearly recall having a strong sense of guilt for having to ask Manish Pandey to bat first in the batting order.

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Talking on RevSports, the former KKR captain said: 

The only time I felt pressure was in 2014 when I got three consecutive ducks for KKR [Kolkata Knight Riders] in Dubai as captain. In the fourth match, I asked Manish Pandey to open the innings and batted at No. 3 myself. Manish was scoring, and I did this because I was scared. I have no hesitation in accepting I was ashamed of myself.

However, Manish was out without scoring and I got out for 1. I told Manish I would never again do this, and decided to take things head-on.

Gautam Gambhir talks about one of the most important moments in the IPL

Further adding to the incident, Gambhir emphasizes the importance of getting back up after falling and facing your own battles. The 41-year-old, who is also a World Cup winner, talks about the importance of a 4 in the IPL and how it helped him gain confidence. He added: 

I was feeling the pressure. I was nervous. But then that’s what mental strength and courage are all about. You need to face up to the toughest challenges. In our next game, I opened the batting and smashed the first ball from Kane Richardson for four. Perhaps the most important four of my IPL career. That’s when things changed again.

In the same year, Gautam Gambhir led Kolkata Knight Riders to their second IPL title when they defeated Punjab Kings in the epic finale. Gambhir also played a key role in India’s campaigns in the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup.