Gautam Gambhir has been impeccable with his batting since a while now. The maestro when comes in the crease, comes with a purpose – scoring runs. This time round too, against Bangladesh last evening, came with the same purpose but something was different. Gambhir had already scored 5 hundreds in last 5 tests, each in one of them and was chasing another one, here at Mirpur. And if chased, he had a chance to equal one of the sixteen world records that Sir Donald Bradman possesses in Test-match cricket. Well, think he knew had his aim and played with heart, as always! By the end of Day 1 i.e. last evening, he remained unbeaten on 26 with opening partner, the flamboyant Virender Sehwag on 41 and the overall scorecard reading 0/69.

By the time of Stumps on day 1, all news channels had a story on their hands and all newspapers wanted their prints to talk about Gambhir, and why not, after all a local boy was about to equal the Don! Things looked good in the morning today as India resumed. Virender Sehwag, as always was pacey and Gambhir, as always, calm! Although Sehwag got out on the last delivery of the 20th over for 56, Gambhir carried on with his immaculate determination as he stood on 44.

By the next two deliveries of Sehwag’s dismissal, Gambhir reached his fifty in style hitting a couple of back-foot cuts off Bangladesh’s Shafiul Islam. And this fifty implied he be going par with Sir Vivian Richards. He scored his 11th score of 50+ in consecutive matches, so did Sir Viv. He even after having a record-task on hand looked unflustered.

Rahul Dravid came in next and Gauti had to build a new partnership. After a few slow overs and a couple of easy singles, he unfortunately got out on 68. The fifth delivery of the 30th over will be something that Gambhir would never forget. Shafiul Islam bowled it short, just outside the off stump and Gambhir was surprised by that well-directed bouncer, he jumped and fended at it just outside off, and the resulting edge looped straight towards the keeper. The delivery was a beauty of all and deserved a wicket, but Gambhir too deserved a ton. He played with all that hard work throughout his 83-ball stay and looked gracious! Nevertheless he had walk and walked with absolute disappointment.

Gambhir, already the bearer of the prestigious award of ‘Test player of 2009’ given by ICC, now has a second innings to hit that landmark, but, with India already in a lead of 226 with 5 wickets in hand, an innings defeat hovers over Bangladesh. Only if Bangladesh play a good hand in their second-innings, Gambhir can get a very minute chance of getting there. The only way to reach out, though, is to play six more tests and get 100s in each!

Best Luck Gauti!!