In this article, we mention Some lesser-known facts about Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir, a renowned Indian cricketer, is celebrated for his impressive career on the cricket field. However, beyond his batting prowess lies a fascinating persona with many intriguing facets that often escape the spotlight.

Also Read: 5 World Cup Winners To Serve As Head Coach Of Indian Cricket Team

Here are five lesser-known facts about the man behind the cricketer Gautam Gambhir

• Adoption by Grandparents: Born into a humble family, Gambhir’s life took an unexpected turn when he was adopted by his grandparents soon after birth. What began as a visit to introduce the newborn to his grandparents turned into a lifelong bond.
• Nurtured by Grandparents: Enveloped by their love and care, Gambhir grew up under the nurturing guidance of his grandparents. This upbringing played a significant role in shaping his character and resilience.

• Marriage and Family Life: Beyond the cricketing arena, Gautam Gambhir finds solace in the warmth of family life. In 2011 he married Natasha Jain beginning a journey of companionship and love.
• Cherishing Family Moments: The couple is blessed with two daughters, Aazeen and Anaiza. Gautam Gambhir cherishes every moment spent with his beloved family often indulging in long drives and quality time together.

• Passion for Gaming: While Gambhir’s exploits on the cricket field have garnered widespread acclaim, he harbours a passion for gaming off the pitch.
• Hobbies and Interests: He enjoys reading and adrenaline-fueled drives, and finds joy in immersing himself in the virtual realm of PlayStation games, unwinding amidst the digital landscapes of virtual competition.

• Historical Feat in Test Cricket: In 2009, Gautam Gambhir etched his name in the annals of Indian cricket history by achieving a rare feat in Test cricket.
• Consecutive Centuries: He became only the fourth Indian batsman to score three consecutive centuries in the longest format of the game, showcasing his batting prowess and resilience and leaving an indelible mark on the sport.
• Aspiration to Serve in the Armed Forces: Amidst his cricketing pursuits Gautam Gambhir harboured aspirations beyond the boundary ropes. He had a deep-seated desire to serve his nation by joining the armed forces.
• Reflections on Regret: Reflecting on his journey Gambhir expressed regret at not pursuing his passion for the military citing it as his “first love” and a poignant reminder of unfulfilled aspirations.

Hardik Himanshu Pandya, a 30-year-old dynamic cricketer from Gujarat, has captured a million hearts over the years with his stellar innings. Pandya made his One-Day International (ODI) debut against New Zealand on 16 October 2016 and, ever since, has been a crucial pick for the Indian cricket team. Later in the same year, Pandya also made his debut for the T20I format against Australia and created a strong impression in the hearts of cricket aficionados and the hardcore fans of the Indian cricket team. Hailing from the land of Choryasi, Suart, Gujarat, Hardik Pandya has undoubtedly fought the odds and has a long way ahead in the rankings of world’s most dynamic and formidable cricketers. Although Hardik Pandya’s glorious cricket career has witnessed undeniable highs through his formidable batting attacks and ruthless bowling spells, the all-rounder being a part of numerous controversies over his cricketing career, has also faced the rough side of the cricket industry and a whacking fandom. 

In this piece, we will take a look at the top eight most interesting and lesser-known facts about Hardik Pandya that you probably don’t know about. 

• Hardik Pandya Was Dropped Out! 

Hardik Pandya’s appearance on the “Koffee With Karan” show along with KL Rahul was highly criticized for their “sexist” remarks that stirred fuming controversies in the real world. Although the duo later apologized to the BCCI and viewers of Indian cricket for their sexist remarks towards women in general, they were forced to bear the consequences of their actions. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) suspended Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul for a few weeks, resulting in their unexpected withdrawal from the ongoing tour of India against Australia. The controversy tarnished Pandya’s image to a great extent, and it took him a while to bounce back. 

• Hardik Pandya’s Obsession With Tattoos

With a unique sense of fashion and style, Hardik Pandya has undoubtedly been a style trailblazer for the younger generation. Extremely fond of tattoos, Hardik Pandya has more than twelve tattoos inked on his body. While there are many speculations about his tattoos, provided below is the actual meaning of some of the most popular tattoos on his body: 

• “Tiger” Tattoo: Pandya has a huge tiger tattoo inked on his right shoulder that symbolizes bravery and strength to conquer every battle.
• “Believe” Tattoo: The “believe” tattoo on his left arm symbolizes his will to fight the odds and believe in himself even when the world is against him. 
• “Paw” Tattoo: Hardik Pandya is a huge dog lover and this tattoo on the right of his neck serves as a constant reminder of that incredible love. 
• “Peace” Tattoo: Hardik Pandya has inked the symbol of “peace” on the left side of his neck 
• “Agastya” Tattoo: The young cricketer often keeps posting pictures of his son on his social media accounts and the tattoo on his left shoulder holding a baby represents his love for his son, Agastya, who was born in 2020. 
• Rape-Molestation Allegation

In November 2021, just one year after his marriage with Natasa Stankovic, Hardik Pandya was alleged to rape and molest Dawood Ibrahim’s (underworld gangster) close aide, Riyaz Bhati’s wife, Rehnuma Bhati. An official legal complaint was filed at Mumbai’s Santacruz police station against Hardik Pandya along with fellow cricketer Munaf Patel and congress leaders Rajeev Shukla and Prithviraj Kothari. The alleged victim, Rehnuma Bhati, stated in her social media posts and interviews that Hardik Pandya along with Munaf Patel sexually assaulted her after being intoxicated. Although ultimately no evidence was found by the Mumbai Police and therefore the case was ultimately shut down, it ended up tarnishing Pandya’s image in the cricket fraternity. 

• Hardik Pandya “Renewed” His Wedding Vows 

Hardik Pandya’s marriage with his long-term girlfriend Natasa Stankovic amid the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown was quite the talk of the town. Three years down the line, in 2023, the couple decided on renewing their wedding vows in a dreamy setting and got married again in a Christian wedding ceremony that was commemorated by all their close friends and family members in Udaipur, Rajasthan. Dressed in a dreamy white gown by Shantanu & Nikhil, Natasa Satankovic looked drop-dead gorgeous walking down the aisle while Hardik Pandya adorned his classic black suit and wowed the world with his “dapper” look. The couple also went ahead and posted happy pictures with their son Agastya, who seemed to be the happiest witnessing his parents getting married and “renewing” their wedding vows. 

• Hardik Pandya Got His “Step-Brother” Arrested 

In April 2024, the Pandya brothers suffered a major loss in the polymer business that had earlier started off in partnership with their step-brother, Vaibhav Pandya. According to the reports, Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya infused 40% of the capital each and the remaining 20% of the capital was infused by their step-brother, Vaibhav Pandya. Although the business was making significant profits initially, it later turned out to be a loss-making deal for the Pandya brothers, as Vaibhav Pandya started his own firm in the same business without involving Hardik or Krunal Pandya, as a consequence of which they lost a whopping INR 4 Crores.

• Hardik Pandya’s “Divorce” Controversy 

Although things seemed to be dreamy for Hardik Pandya and Natasa Stankovic as they got married in 2020 and later renewed their wedding vows in 2023, Natasa’s sudden decision of dropping “Pandya” as her surname from her official Instagram account stirred a lot of speculations and controversies about the couple’s relationship status. Netizens also claimed that Natasa’s decision to divorce Hardik Pandya would be a mistake as he has already registered all his property under his mother’s name. Therefore, even if the divorce happens, Natasa Stankovic won’t be able to get anything significant as a part of the legal settlement. 

• Hardik Pandya’s “Sympathy” Plan 

Hardik Pandya was announced as the new skipper of the Mumbai Indians squad ahead of the IPL 2024 season, which resulted in a lot of hatred and backlash from the fans of Rohit Sharma, who has captained the squad for eleven long years and drove Mumbai Indians to a phenomenal victory for a record-breaking five IPL seasons. According to netizens, Natasa’s decision to drop off “Pandya” from her official Instagram account was just a deliberate attempt to create sympathy for Hardik Pandya who was receiving brutal criticism and bashing from the internet for replacing Rohit Sharma as the captain of Mumbai Indians. 

• The Ongoing “Hardik-Natasa” Drift 

While the whole nation has been commemorating the drought-ending victory of India at the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup, Natasa Stankovic’s silence has again stirred a whole new controversy around her relationship with Hardik Pandya. Although Hardik Pandya has been highly appreciated for his stellar innings at the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup, Natasa Stankovic has been receiving a lot of bashing and criticism on the internet for not uttering even a single word about India’s victory at the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup. While Anushka Sharma, Ritika Sajdeh, Sanjana Ganesan and Rivaba Jadeja have openly expressed their overwhelming happiness over the Indian cricket team’s victory, Natasa Stankovic still hasn’t made any congratulatory remarks, neither for the Indian cricket team and nor for her husband, Hardik Pandya which is further fuming the couple’s separation rumors.

Also Read: 7 Unique Records Of MS Dhoni

In this article, we mention the Indian players’ Singing ‘Vande Mataram’ at Wankhede, which brings back memories of the 2011 World Cup.

Traffic jams prevailed in south Mumbai as a huge crowd gathered on Marine Drive to watch the Indian team’s T20 World Cup 2024 Victory Parade on Thursday evening. Trains arriving at Churchgate on the Western Railway network and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, the last station on the Central Railway’s massive route, were crowded as people from different parts of the metropolis reached the southern end in the afternoon to watch the parade.

King Kohli – The GOAT !!pic.twitter.com/Q73qtayPmD

— raka (@rakeshkhajuria) July 4, 2024

The station and roads reverberated with slogans of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘India India’ as the crowd, waving the tricolour and wearing blue jerseys, braved the intermittent rain to catch a glimpse of the team that brought home T20 cricket’s biggest prize after more than a decade.

Around 9 pm, the Indian team bus reached the Wankhede Stadium and the victory parade ended. After this, the Indian players and other members of the team were felicitated there. Rohit Sharma’s parents were also present in the stands of the stadium to watch this ceremony. Here, BCCI secretary Jay Shah also handed over the prize money of Rs 125 crore to the Indian team. Captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah made big statements in this ceremony.

“The Indian players joined in on the crowd’s performance of “Vande Mataram,” which was the highlight of the performance. The entire stadium burst into song, creating an electrifying environment that truly made everyone feel proud.”

Mufaddal Vohra Tweet

GOOSEBUMPS GUARANTEED…!!!! 

– Team India singing ‘Vande Maataram’ with Wankhede crowd. 

GOOSEBUMPS GUARANTEED…!!!! 😍

– Team India singing 'Vande Maataram' with Wankhede crowd. 🇮🇳pic.twitter.com/SfrFgWr4x9

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 4, 2024

Cricket is Religion

Cricket is our religion and these are our Demigods!! 

This victory lap is like the homecoming of Ram, bringing the WC trophy back after 17 years of Vanwaas!!

A epic thread >> 

Rohit Sharma and his mother love towards him

Cricket is our religion and these are our Demigods!!

This victory lap is like the homecoming of Ram, bringing the WC trophy back after 17 years of Vanwaas!!

A epic thread >>

Rohit Sharma and his mother love towards him pic.twitter.com/MkX6Z9njlA

— raka (@rakeshkhajuria) July 4, 2024

Ram Lakhan of the Indian players team 

Rohit and Kohli – The Ram and Lakhan of Indian Cricket !!pic.twitter.com/9Pmwn64ozr

— raka (@rakeshkhajuria) July 4, 2024

Also Read: Top 5 Underrated Knocks of T20 World Cup 2024

Beyond the emotions of the moment, the Indian players singing “Vande Mataram” also sparked memories of India’s incredible 2011 ODI World Cup victory. This stadium witnessed MS Dhoni’s match-winning six that sealed the win. Virat Kohli is the only player from the current team who was part of that historic final. Captain Rohit Sharma, unfortunately, missed out on selection back then, but he went on to achieve great things later in his career.

The song transported us back in time, conjuring images of Dhoni’s powerful six soaring into the stands. We relived the iconic scene of Sachin Tendulkar being hoisted by his teammates, finally achieving World Cup glory after six attempts.

The Mumbai Indians’ (MI) decision to hand over the captaincy reins from Rohit Sharma to Hardik Pandya continues to generate discussions.

While Rohit’s leadership delivered a staggering five IPL titles for the franchise, MI opted for a future-oriented gamble by appointing Hardik as the new skipper ahead of IPL 2024.

Former Indian batsman Robin Uthappa shed light on the potential reasons behind this move. He pointed to a possible link between Rohit’s batting form and the leadership change.

“In the last four years, statistically…Rohit scored less than 300 runs (only once). So there’s a lack of success as a batter and a lack of success as a captain in just the IPL,” Uthappa said.

Notably, Rohit’s IPL batting numbers dipped significantly from 2020 to 2023, managing only 1,313 runs in 55 games at an average of 23.8. However, he has bounced back this season with 297 runs in seven matches at an impressive average of 49.5.

𝕋𝕣𝕒𝕧𝕖𝕝 𝔽𝕚𝕥 ℂ𝕙𝕖𝕔𝕜 🤙😎 #MumbaiMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians pic.twitter.com/esDfGusDqZ

— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 20, 2024

Uthappa also highlighted the contrasting situations when Rohit and Hardik were appointed captains. When Rohit took over from Ricky Ponting mid-season in 2013, he had the backing of senior players like Sachin Tendulkar and Harbhajan Singh. In contrast, Hardik is a “pure Mumbai Indians boy” discovered through the franchise’s scouting system.

“Hardik Pandya is their discovery. They did it through their scouting methods. So they are essentially looking at a pure Mumbai Indians boy. When captaincy was given to Rohit Sharma, it was taken from Ricky Ponting in the middle of the season. This is the same franchise. All the senior guys Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh, and Ricky Ponting supported Rohit,” Uthappa stated.

While Rohit was acquired for a whopping INR 9.2 crore in 2011, Hardik was unearthed by MI’s scouting system ahead of IPL 2015.

The captaincy change might be a future-oriented gamble, but can Hardik’s leadership and Rohit’s batting revival work for MI? The answer remains to be seen.