Gautam Gambhir turns 39: Wishes pour in for the cricketer turned politician

Gambhir will forever be remembered for playing some gritty innings` under pressure. His knocks of 97 and 75 in World Cup finals of 2011 and 2007 (T20I) respectively, were crucial in India`s historic triumphs.

Former star Indian cricketer turned politician Gautam Gambhir turned 39 today (October 14) and his former teammates and countless fans left no stone unturned in sending their heartiest wishes on his big day.

Gambhir is currently a Lok Sabha member from the East Delhi constituency but takes enough time out to analyse the cricket matches and his opinions have been in high demand in the current IPL season. 

Gambhir's teammates like Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh - who were all instrumental in India's historic World Cup triumph of 2011, took to social media to send their greetings to the former opener. 

Gambhir had been a vital cog in the Indian squad for over a decade. He was a mainstay in the Indian top-order with his opening partnerships with fellow Delhi teammate Virender Sehwag in Test matches, being an important highlight of India reaching the pinnacle in the longest format.

Known for his grit under pressure, Gambhir is sure to find his name in Indian cricket's highlight reels for his knock of 97 in the 2011 World Cup final against Sri Lanka which set the tone for India's eventual victory. 

Gambhir was also India's top-scorer in their 2007 T20 World Cup triumph. His majestic knock of 75 off 54 balls in the pulsating final against Pakistan took India to a competitive total from a tough position.

He was also a succesful leader - captaining Kolkata Knight Riders to two IPL titles in 2012 and 2014 respectively.

The southpaw retired from all forms of cricket in 2018 after representing India in 147 ODI's and 58 Test matches. He joined the BJP in 2019 and won in his first-ever elections from East Delhi constituency.