Gambhir produces trademark feisty century to sign off in style
NEW DELHI: Gautam Gambhir walked into the sunset with a century (112) to help Delhi take the crucial first innings lead against Andhra on the third day of their Ranji Trophy Elite B game at the Ferozeshah Kotla on Saturday.
In a knock that again highlighted in equal measure Gambhir’s recent frailties against spinners, whom he once took apart, as well as his strength in finding boundaries, besides taking singles through nudges and pushes. Delhi were 409/7 at stumps on Day 3, a lead of 19 runs.
Resuming the third day at 92, with Delhi at 190/1, still 200 runs adrift of Andhra’s first innings total, Gambhir moved to his century in a businesslike manner. He got two singles, a boundary behind square and a couple to reach the milestone.
There were no celebrations on Saturday, perhaps because there was still work to be done for Delhi. He reached 112 , scoring a four and surviving a chance at slip before edging off-spinner Shoaib Mohammed Khan to wicketkeeper Kona Bharat.
Gambhir returned to a guard of honour and applause from the sparse crowd, which included a handful of Gambhir’s die-hard supporters with a few banners like Thank You Gauti, expressing gratitude to the Delhi stalwart.
Delhi, 221 at his dismissal, still needed 170 runs to take the firstinnings lead. The platform had been laid with youngster Dhruv Shorey well set, the two having added 113 for the second wicket. Shorey was out for 98, but Vaibhav Rawal (33), Jonty Sidhu (30), Lalit Yadav (29) and Anuj Rawat (28) helped Delhi take the lead.