‘MY WIFE ASKED IF ATTENDING WORLD CUP FINAL WAS CRUCIAL FOR HER’

Cricketer Gautam Gambhir shares how wife Natasha didn’t want to travel, ‘just for one match’

Do cricketers’ families share the same passion for the game like our men in blue? Ummm .... not always! In a candid chat at HT City Stars in the City, cricketer Gautam Gambhir shared a hard-to-believe incident from his days of courtship with wife, Natasha Gambhir. It’s about how she refused to attend the World Cup Final in 2011, where India beat Sri Lanka to win the trophy for the second time. “I asked Natasha if she wanted to come for the World Cup Final match in Mumbai. She told me she’d let me know in two days. She bought more time to decide till the evening, and finally called back, asking: “Gautam, is this match that important?’ I said, ‘Nahi yaar, itna important toh nahi hai (laughs)’. Then she said, ‘Chhor na... kaun itna travel karke Mumbai tak aaega ek match dekhne ke liye (Leave it, who’d travel from Delhi to Mumbai just for a game!). And guess what? She didn’t come for the World Cup final,” said Gauti.

The Delhi-born cricketer added that he’s not his wife’s favourite player, and she once unknowingly cheered for the rival team. “I had invited her for an IPL match between Delhi and Mumbai. In the stands, usne Mumbai Indians ka flag pakad liya (Gautam played for Delhi Daredevils at the time). Then, early on in the game, while fielding at mid-on, I tore my hamstring trying to chase the ball flicked by (batsman) Sachin (Tendulkar) and was in the dressing room for the rest of the game. Later that night, Natasha asked me, ‘Why were you fielding so far away for all of 20 overs? When I told her I was in the dressing room, she said, “Ohh! But that guy there looked just like you. After that, I knew I wasn’t her favourite cricketer,” said Gautam.

PHOTO: AMAL