The duo joined hands after Sachin Tendulkar failed to score even 10 — and you were expecting a ton! — on a pitch which resembled a grass bank, but had no pace whatsoever.
The ball never rose beyond their knees and the Sri Lankans, perhaps, forgot that bouncers were legal. Evidently, the Delhi duo made merry and, in the process, notched up their 10th ODI hundreds.
Gambhir and Kohli now have six century stands, three of them yielding over 200 runs. Interestingly, each of these has resulted in an Indian win, five while chasing. Their 27 associations have been worth 1,762 runs and the average column boasts a staggering 70.48. The next best (minimum 20 innings) is the 63.37 between MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina (2,345 runs in 45 outings).
So what is it that works for them? Former India opener, chief selector and head coach Anshuman Gaekwad reckons that the Delhi connection is obviously working. “When you play for the same state or zone, you are bound to bond well,” he said.
Another factor that’s helping them milk attacks is their running between the wickets. “These are two technically sound players who play every shot in the book. And they run like hares,” Gaekwad said.
For the record, the duo ran 53 singles on Tuesday. Only 56 runs (both hit seven fours each) came off boundaries.
Gaekwad isn’t done. Sourav Ganguly and Tendulkar enthralled us for over a decade and they amassed 8,227 in each other’s company.
ODI cricket’s most successful pair registered a mind-boggling 26 century stands and 29 fifty-run partnerships. But the veteran says Kohli and Gambhir could go on and make that record their own. “Records are meant to be broken. These guys can do better. Ganguly was a poor runner,” Gaekwad said.
It’s a given that success in limited-overs cricket breeds success in the Test arena. With Rahul Dravid gone, Kohli’s elevation to No 3 cannot be ruled out. Who knows, the ‘Delhi Daredevils’ may pack a punch in white flannels too.
