Former India chief selector Sandeep Patil said that Gautam Gambhir’s attitude was a reason for his success and failures in his international career. In a column for the The Quint, Patil said that Gambhir missed out on a chance at becoming a legend of Indian cricket when he decided not to take part in the 2011 tour of England after being hit on the head during one of the matches.
“I used to be the Director of the NCA during that period. I was in shock when I saw the reports of the physio and the doctors, who confirmed that his injury was not serious at all, and he could have continued in that series,” he wrote.
Gambhir has been in the news of late due to his extraordinary decision of resigning from his post of Delhi Daredevils captain in the middle of the IPL 2018 season.
“I respect his decision to quit Delhi Daredevils captaincy, but he is the only person who knows why he stepped down in the middle of an IPL campaign. In my view, only an individual can understand what is going is going on inside his head,” said Patil.
Patil said that while he and Gambhir remained on good terms while the latter was a regular in the Indian team, their relatioship soured when the likes of Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay took Gambhir’s place.
“I was the chairman of the Selection Committee at the time and we selectors decided to give Dhawan a chance in place of a struggling Gambhir. Later on, all doors were shut for Gambhir as Murali Vijay too was performing excellently as an opener,” he said.
“That was the time Gambhir decided to end our friendship. I understand his feelings and took it in the right spirit. I did not take it personally. He hardly smiled whenever we met and he seems angry with me even today. When it comes to selecting a player for India, friendship or emotions don’t work. The interest of the country always comes first – survival of the fittest. Even the king of jungle has to surrender his territory one day” he added.
