India head coach turns 44: Birthday wishes for Gautam Gambhir pour in from the cricketing fraternity

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India’s current men’s head coach and former top-order batting star Gautam Gambhir celebrated his 44th birthday on Tuesday, with heartfelt wishes from across the cricketing fraternity. Former teammates, international cricket stars, and fans took to social media to honour a player who played pivotal roles in some of India’s most celebrated victories. Renowned for his grit and composure under pressure, Gambhir enjoyed a decorated career as one of India’s most dependable openers before transitioning into a successful mentor and coach.

Born on October 14, 1981, Gambhir’s international journey began in 2003 and spanned over a decade until 2016. Across formats, he accumulated 10,324 runs in 242 matches, including 20 centuries and 63 fifties. He is one of only 14 Indian players to surpass the 10,000-run milestone in international cricket.

Gambhir’s peak form arrived between 2008 and 2009 when he scored 1,861 runs in just 13 Tests at a remarkable average of 77.54, which earned him the ICC Test Player of the Year award. His epic innings of 137 in Napier during the 2009 New Zealand tour remains one of India’s most determined match-saving efforts. In ODIs, Gambhir’s career tally of 5,238 runs includes his iconic knock of 97 in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup final, guiding India to glory after 28 years. He played equally crucial roles in T20Is, with his 75 against Pakistan in the 2007 T20 World Cup final helping India lift the inaugural trophy.

Gambhir’s competitive instincts extended into the Indian Premier League, where he captained Kolkata Knight Riders to twin titles in 2012 and 2014. With 4,217 runs in 154 matches, he is remembered not just for his runs but also for his astute captaincy. After retiring from professional cricket, he was instrumental in mentoring the Lucknow Super Giants to back-to-back playoff appearances in 2022 and 2023, before returning to Kolkata Knight Riders as a mentor to help secure another title.

Appointed as India’s head coach in 2024, Gambhir’s tenure began with challenges, including series defeats in Tests to New Zealand and Australia. However, he showcased tactical acumen by orchestrating a remarkable 2-2 series draw against England in their backyard, despite missing senior stalwarts such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin. His Test coaching record stands at six wins, eight losses, and two draws over 16 matches.

In ODIs, Gambhir guided India to a triumphant ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign and a home series win over England. His impact in T20Is has been particularly striking, with India claiming the T20I Asia Cup title without losing a single match. Notably, India beat Pakistan three times in the tournament, including the final, cementing his reputation as a leader in high-pressure matches. Under his guidance, India’s T20I record stands at 18 wins, two losses, and two ties, with no bilateral series defeats so far.

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Happy Birthday Gauti @GautamGambhir May you continue to be blessed and stay happy and healthy . Wish you all the happiness brother. Love Always ❤️🤗

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) October 14, 2025

Happy Birthday Wishes to ICT Coach Gautam Gambhir, the man who will give India so many ICC trophies in his tenure with Captain Shubman Gill.

— DAVID (@1DAVID92) October 14, 2025

Happy Birthday to one of India’s finest openers – Gautam Gambhir 🎂🎂

242 international matches 🏏10,324 international runs 🌟15,153 first class runs 🔥6402 T20 runs ⚡4217 IPL runs ✨20 international hundreds 💯ODI World Cup winner 🏆T20 World Cup winner 🏆IPL Winner 🏆…

— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) October 14, 2025

Heartiest birthday greetings and best wishes to the star cricketer and Head Coach of the Indian Cricket Team, Sh. Gautam Gambhir Ji. May Almighty Always bless You Sir. ⚘️⚘️⚘️

— Ravinder Raina (@RavinderRaina) October 14, 2025

A champion on the field, a leader off it, and an inspiration in every way—wishing the unstoppable Gautam Gambhir a very Happy Birthday! May your journey continue to inspire millions with courage, determination, and vision.@GautamGambhir #GautamGambhir #HappyBirthday…

— Preeti Mahapatra🇮🇳 (@OfficialPreetiM) October 14, 2025

Happy birthday Gautam Gambhir!

Most Consecutive 50+ scores in Tests

12 – AB De Villiers. 🇿🇦12 – Joe Root. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿11 – Gautam Gambhir. 🇮🇳11 – Virender Sehwag. 🇮🇳11 – Viv Richards. 🌴 11 – Mominul Haque. 🇧🇩

— All Cricket Records (@Cric_records45) October 14, 2025

🎂 HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GAUTAM GAMBHIR! 🇮🇳

97 vs Sri Lanka in 2011 WC Final 🏆

75 vs Pakistan in 2007 T20 WC Final 🔥

Two-time IPL winning captain 🏅

IPL winning mentor 💪

Champions Trophy winning coach 🏆

11 consecutive fifties in Tests 📈

Highest Test score by an Indian in…

— Rana Ahmed (@RanaAhmad056) October 14, 2025

Happy Birthday to the Indian team coach and invisible president of BCCI, Gautam Gambhir.

— Tide Bhai (@Public_Voice0) October 14, 2025

All jokes aside. Happy Birthday to the fighter.The Unbreakable Fighting Spirit 🎂🏏💪

Gambhir’s spirit is a blend of courage, sacrifice, and an unyielding will to win—truly the heartbeat of Indian cricket! 🇮🇳

Gautam Gambhir’s career is a testament to an unrelenting fighting…

— AkCricTalks🎤🇮🇳 (@AKCricTalks) October 14, 2025

– 97 Vs SL in 2011 WC Final.– 75 Vs Pakistan in 2007 T20WC Final.– Two time IPL winning captain.– IPL winning mentor.– CT winning coach.– 11 consecutive fifties in Tests.– Highest Test score by an Indian in NZ.– Team India Head Coach.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GAUTAM GAMBHIR. 🇮🇳

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 14, 2025

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