Baroda, Dec. 4: Having clinched the five-match ODI series against New Zealand with two matches to go, and scoring his second successive ton, India skipper Gautam Gambhir could hardly hide his joy. But captaincy is the last thing on his mind when he is in the middle with the willow in his hand.
“Captaincy doesn’t bat for you. As a player I’ve given hundred per cent, as a captain I’ve been giving hundred per cent,” he said.
“I have always felt that if I am in good form I will make it count, and that’s what I have done. Captaincy has not changed me as a player, that’s how I’ve played even under MS.
“I’m hitting the ball well, but it’s more to do as a player than as a captain. I don’t need the captaincy to motivate me. Playing for the country itself is a big motivation,” he said after guiding his team to victory by nine wickets here on the day.
The 29-year-old was quick to praise Munaf Patel who returned with enviable figures of 10-0-28-1 on his home ground. “The way Munaf bowled today — 10 overs, 28 runs — was an exceptional effort by a fast bowler in Indian conditions,” said Gambhir, who bagged the man of the match award.
He felt that despite winning the toss, the bowlers had a tough job of restricting the opposition.
“We always knew that it does a bit because of the red soil and early morning start. It was a good toss to win, but your bowlers needed to do the job up front and that’s what they did,” the southpaw said.