'I never thought of my individual score until MS Dhoni told me,' Gautam Gambhir revisits his missed ton during 2011 World Cup Final

Cricketer turned politician Gautam Gambhir, more than eight years after the 2011 World Cup Final, revealed that he wasn't thinking about his century, until MS Dhoni, who was batting alongside him, apprised him about the upcoming personal milestone.

Gautam Gambhir (L) and MS Dhoni shared 89-run stand for the fourth wicket in the 2011 World Cup Final in Wankhede. AFP

Gambhir top-scored for India in the final game against Sri Lanka before he played a Thisara Perera delivery onto his stumps, departing on 97.

"I have been asked this question many times, on what happened when I was on 97. I tell every youngster and every person that before getting to 97, I never thought about my own individual score but looked at the target set by Sri Lanka. I remember that when the over was completed, Dhoni told me that 'these three runs are remaining, get these three runs and your hundred would be completed'," said Gambhir in an interview with Lallantop

"Suddenly, when your mind turns to your individual performance, individual score, then, somewhere, you have a rush of blood. Before this moment, my target was only to chase Sri Lanka's target. If only that target remained in my mind, maybe, I would have easily scored my hundred," the former India opener believed.

Gambhir also highlighted the importance of remaining in present and feels those missed three runs will haunt him for the rest of his life.

“That’s why it’s important to remain in the present... When I was walking back to the dressing room after being dismissed, I said to myself that these three runs would trouble me for the rest of my life and that is true. Even to this day, people ask me why I couldn’t get those three runs,” the 38-year-old said.