Gambhir itching to hit form
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Oct. 28: Coming back from an injury lay-off, India opener Gautam Gambhir knows he has a task on hand. The left-hander has been in stupendous form in the last two years — taking him to world No. 1 in the Test rankings besides cementing his place in the national side — before injury to his right knee pegged him back.
Gambhir flew back mid-way through the Sri Lanka series in May and has been out of action thereafter. He returned to play the first Test against Australia before the injury resurfaced again, ruling him out from the remainder of the series.
Eager to put the “frustrating period” behind him, Gambhir is itching to hit form. “I am coming back from injury right now. It’s always difficult recovering from a major injury.
“Only when you spend considerable time in the middle, you get to know how it is shaping up for you,” said Gambhir, who spent time at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru recently rehabilitating. Up next is the Test and one-day series against New Zealand at home. “You can never take any international opposition lightly. Just because Bangladesh beat them 4-0 doesn’t mean that we can take it easy against the New Zealanders. Their team consists of some proven match-winners who can turn a match on its head. So we need to be very careful and can’t take things for granted,” said Gambhir.
He also batted for Gary Kirsten, saying that the Indian board should renew the coach’s contract after it expired at the end of the World Cup next year.
“Gary is the best coach India have ever had. I have often said that and I keep on stressing that we need him. I don’t need to speak much about him. His fabulous record speaks for itself. He has been a great man manager. So I believe that he should be retained after the World Cup also,” he said.
The opener also supported Kirsten’s idea of sending the top-order batsmen to South Africa, a week in advance to get acclimatised to the pace and bounce of wickets over there.
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