Precisely 10 minutes after Virender Sehwag’s voice came over direct telecasts from Perth, relieved that India had made history, Delhi skipper Gautam Gambhir stole a single at Wankhede Stadium, ending the capital’s 16-year-old drought in winning the Ranji Trophy.

‘Double dhamaka’, screamed the cricketers as beer cans and champagne bottles were opened inside the dressing room.

Sehwag and Ishant Sharma had plotted successfully against the Australians in Perth, and in Mumbai, Gambhir’s boys held their nerve until it all became easy in the end.

Chasing 230 for victory, Gambhir began in a manner that was evident of his Twenty20 success. The left-hander struck three boundaries before he actually settled down to take stock of the situation and despite losing the wicket of Aakash Chopra, Uttar Pradesh knew they were heading for doom.

Eventually, it was the captain’s knock—Gambhir’s 130 not out, off 154 balls—that gave the script its final touch.

Delhi won the match by nine wickets, one that had been dominated by Uttar Pradesh for a good two and-a-half days.

Having received the trophy at the hands of chairman of selectors Dilip Vengsarkar, Gambhir got busy on phone.

It was a call from Perth, Sehwag and Sharma eager to know about the victory.

“It has been a wonderful team effort. We were all quite frustrated over the last couple of years for not having done enough to reach here. It was a dream that we were all focused on, and finally it has happened,” Gambhir said after the match.

... contd.