Strange cricket record: Gautam Gambhir has hit fewer sixes than even spinner Muralitharan

Gautam Gambhir, former India opener and current head coach, has a lesser tally of sixes in his international cricket career than Muttiah Muralitharan, widely regarded as one of the greatest spin bowlers of all time.

Over a 13-year international career spanning 242 matches for India, Gambhir managed only 37 sixes- 10 in Test matches, 17 in One Day Internationals (ODIs), and 10 in Twenty20s.

By contrast, Muralitharan, who was almost exclusively a bowler batting at No. 9-11, struck 41 sixes in his international career.

Despite Gambhir’s aggressive batting style and his reputation as a ‘big match player’, highlighted by his match-winning 97 in the 2011 World Cup final and 75 in the 2007 T20 World Cup final, his six-hitting numbers remain modest.

What This Record Suggests

The unusual comparison, that a frontline batter produced fewer sixes than a tail-end bowler, has startled many fans and analysts alike. It underscores that while Gambhir was consistent in scoring runs and building innings, he was never known for power-hitting or clearing the ropes often.

It also raises questions about perceptions of ‘aggressive batting’- hitting boundaries and rotating strike mattered more in Gambhir’s game than slogging for sixes. 

Indeed, over his career, he smashed more than 1,188 fours, showing his preference for grounded, timing-based cricket rather than aerial hitting.

View this post on Instagram

Relevance in Present Day

Now, as Gambhir serves as head coach and deals with scrutiny over India’s performance, especially in longer formats, this quirky statistic has become a talking point among critics. 

Some argue that such numbers reflect a limitation in his batting style, even as a former player while others say it’s irrelevant to his coaching skills.