Reliving the 5 Greatest Indian ODI Innings in the Last Decade

#2 Gautam Gambhir 97 vs Sri Lanka at Mumbai, 2011

Gambhir stepped up when it mattered the most

India were playing Sri Lanka in the World Cup final at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai, hoping to bury the ghosts of the 2003 and 2007 World Cup. Having been set a target of 275, their reply did not get off to the ideal start as Sehwag was sent packing on the second ball itself. With the occasion demanding an innings of character, Gambhir stepped up.

Gambhir scored a gritty 97 off 122 balls, forming vital partnerships with Kohli and Dhoni. While the stats would show a slow innings with a strike rate of only 79.5, his innings was much more than that. He walked into a cauldron of pressure and eased all the tension before he made his exit.

He played the spin twins, Muralitharan and Randiv adroitly, cutting and pulling with great efficiency.

While Dhoni took all the headlines with his exploits, Gambhir’s innings should not be discounted. If Gambhir hadn’t steadied the ship, Dhoni would never have gotten the chance to weave his magic.

With the chips down, Gambhir came up with an innings to remember, an innings that might not be remembered for its extravagance but for its efficiency.

The fact that such a determined innings was played on the grandest stage of them all gets it the second spot on our list.