India’s 2011 cricket World Cup final hero retires

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Opener Gautam Gambhir has decided to walk down the sunset boulevard after a lengthy omission from India's national cricket team. Gambhir, whose stellar innings in the final against Sri Lanka helped win the 2011 World Cup for his country, announced his decision in a video message on Tuesday.

The left-hander, who also a member of the winning team in the inaugural World T20 Championship in South Africa in 2007, has scored over 10,000 international runs.

He has been out of favor for a while with a slew of youngsters like KL Rahul, Prithvi Shaw taking his place alongside experienced Rohit Sharma and Murali Vijay.

India's Gautam Gambhir walks off the field after his dismissal in the 3rd Test between India & New Zealand at the Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore, India, in 2016. /VCG Photo

Gambhir's last international appearance came in 2016 and he has said that he would play his last game for Delhi in India's leading domestic competition, the Ranji Trophy, against Andhra at his home ground Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi. The match will get underway on Thursday.

“After more than 15 years of cricket for my country I want to retire from playing this beautiful game,” he said in the video on social media,

“Despite all the aches and pains, fears and failures I won't mind a repeat of this in my next life too. But obviously, with a few more wins for India, a few more hundreds and in the next life may be a few five-wicket hauls as well."

Kolkata Knight Riders captain Gautam Gambhir plays a shot during the 2017 Indian Premier League Twenty20 cricket match at the Eden Gardens Cricket Stadium in Kolkata, April 15, 2017. /VCG Photo

The southpaw played 58 Test matches for India, scoring 4,154 runs at an average of 41.95 and was a vital member of the team that jumped to number one in the Test rankings in 2009.

In one-day internationals, the 37-year-old amassed 5,238 runs and was India's top scorer in the 2011 World Cup final victory against Sri Lanka with a match-winning knock of 97.

Gambhir took part in 37 Twenty20 internationals making 932 runs, including his crucial innings of 75 in the 2007 T20 World Cup final against Pakistan which helped India win the tournament.

He has also captained India for a brief period and in the absence of regular skippers.

In the Indian Premier League (IPL), Gambhir has represented Delhi Daredevils and Kolkata Knight Riders.