He announced his intentions most vigorously a day before the contest and Gautam Gambhir, ever the soldier to fight in the vanguard, lost little time in proving his credentials. “I have my own plans, my own style, my own temperament,” he had said. It was all on display at the Man Singh Stadium here on Friday when he guided Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to an overwhelming nine-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals.
In a team that prides on its batting strength, Gambhir and the management had insisted that flexibility was the key in this format.
Gambhir, batting at No. 3, obviously took up the challenge to prove that he can lead from the front. His audacious performance with the bat laid Rajasthan low in front of home crowds. For once, the wily Shane Warne fell short of ideas and ammunition as Gambhir and Jacques Kallis produced an unbeaten 152-run stand. It was Rajasthan's first loss in three matches and KKR's second win in three.
Mediocre as a contest
The contest never rose above mediocrity. Even Gambhir's batting had its anxious moments, a few misplaced drives just eluding the diving hands, but then he took his chances and got away too. He allowed himself the freedom to hit hard and high since the onus was on him. He loves tough situations.
He is known to visualise impossible targets and find ways to attain them. This was not a tough assignment when he walked to the middle in the second over of the KKR innings. It was just a stage to test his scoring prowess.
It was as if Gambhir, the Man-of-the-match, had prepared himself for this situation. He spoke of his responsibility to make runs and show the way and here he was, enjoying a familiar role, putting the bowlers in their places with a flurry of aggressive shots. He hit through the line, away from the body, some silken, some crude, but scored in a canter.
Clinical assault
The Rajasthan attack was thrown out of gear by Gambhir's clinical assault and it was reduced to a one-sided contest.
It was not just Gambhir who embarrassed the local team. Kallis maintained his brilliant form, 53 and 54 in the last matches and an 80 here. He was steady, biding his time, waiting for the loose ball to strike.
Gambhir, out once off a no-ball (one fielder less inside the circle), converted even the good deliveries to profitable use.
He was at his best when stepping out to smash the ball from the meat of the bat. KKR's batting show was in complete contrast with what Rajasthan Royals had put up after being asked to bat.
Lack of thrust
Rajasthan's batting lacked the thrust at the top. Runs did not come at the desired pace as KKR bowled to a plan. The slow pitch aided the bowlers.
The Rajasthan innings was lifted by Rahul Dravid and Ashok Menaria, who was not averse to play in the air.
A few rousing strokes and his impetuous stay ended in the same over that Dravid got out to Yusuf Pathan. His one over had put the brakes on Rajasthan's hope before Ross Taylor and Shane Watson whacked the ball around to put up what appeared a fighting total.
It was not, thanks to Gambhir and Kallis.
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