Born in New Delhi, Gambhir was adopted by his grandparents at 18 days old. He began playing cricket at age 10, coached by Sanjay Bharadwaj and Raju Tandon.
Gambhir made his First-Class debut in the 1999-00 season for Delhi, scoring 136 runs in two matches at an average of 45.33.
In 2000, Gambhir was selected for the first intake of the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore, marking the start of his journey to international cricket.
Gambhir made his ODI debut against Bangladesh in 2003. His 71-run performance in his third match earned him the Man of the Match award.
Gambhir debuted in Test cricket against Australia in 2004. Though he struggled initially, he scored 96 in his second Test against South Africa.
Gambhir was India's highest scorer in the 2007 ICC World T20, with 227 runs. His 75 in the final against Pakistan helped India clinch the title.
Gambhir becoming a key player in all formats. He was the highest run-getter in the 2008 CB series with 440 runs.
Gambhir was pivotal in India's 2011 World Cup win, scoring 393 runs in nine matches. His 97 in the final against Sri Lanka set up India's successful chase.