5 of Gambhir's most significant contributions in India's cricket history

75 vs Pakistan, ICC World T20 Final at Wanderers, Johannesburg on 24 September 2007

Gambhir's 75 in tough circumstances took India to a respectable total in the first-ever World T20 final

Before participating in the inaugural World T20, India had played only one T20 international - the least among all participants. Half of their squad selected for this tournament were in the West Indies playing the 50-over World Cup while the inaugural domestic T20 tournament was taking place in India.

While India struggled in their first match against Pakistan (after the match against Scotland was abandoned), they were near the exit door after a humiliating loss against New Zealand.

The match against England was India's last chance, and a 136-run opening partnership between Gambhir and Sehwag set the momentum to take India not only past the second round but to the final as well.

In the tournament final, India's captain MS Dhoni chose to bat first on a historically high-scoring ground. Debutante Yusuf Pathan did not waste any time but his dismissal slowed India's pace down.

The following batsmen in Robin Uthappa, as well as in-form Yuvraj Singh and captain MS Dhoni, struggled to time the ball.

At the same time, Gautam Gambhir was attacking a strong bowling lineup consisting of Umar Gul, Mohammad Asif, Sohail Tanveer and Shahid Afridi - besides others. His top score of 75 amid a team score of 157 for 5 provided India with a fighting score in a big tournament final.

Despite negligible support from other batsmen, Gambhir scored at a strike rate of 140 and played fearlessly - hitting the bowler of the tournament Umar Gul out of the park as well.

In what turned out to be a low scoring match, Gambhir ended as the only batsman scoring a half-century. India's bowlers took wickets at regular intervals, and Pakistan could not get on top of India at any point during the chase.

India eventually held their nerve and won the match by 5 runs, thanks to one major blunder in a chanceless innings by Misbah-ul-Haq.

This performance helped India register their first ever ICC World T20 tournament victory, and the only one till date. Gambhir was also the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament with three fifties to his name.