Barely moments after he finished a lengthy batting session, Gautam Gambhir was working on his close in catching with the fielding coach. It was the first day of the two-day camp, aimed mainly to break of the rust that had set in from a long break, Gambhir the quintessential pro was only eager to kicks tart the season with vigour, says a report in Deccan Chronicle.
For a player who holds Test cricket close to his heart, the ensuing season will be massive and Gambhir will also have a couple of points to prove as well. The opener on whom a lot will depend in the coming series shared his thoughts after practice. On being asked about the challenges against Sri Lanka on the slow pitches, Gambhir said, “We need to be up for the challenge. It’s going to be a tough series and we can’t just take Sri Lanka lightly especially in their own backyard. They have got quality players and more importantly they are coming from a tough series against Pakistan where they did well. They will be high on confidence while we are coming back after a break. We have got enough talent in our dressing room and if we play to our potential, we will be the team to look out for. We can’t be thinking that let’s take our time while entering a battle. We need to get out there all guns blazing,” said Gambhir.
Meanwhile a report in The Times Of India says that it was at the MA Chidambaram Stadium about 48 days back when Gautam Gambhir lifted that glittering Indian Premier League trophy. One and all lauded the Kolkata Knight Riders skipper's leadership abilities and the whispers started getting louder: "Was it right to remove him from the Indian vice-captain's post?"
However Gambhir made it clear that it doesn't bother him what his "designation" is in the team. "I don't go out in the middle thinking about my designation in the team. It doesn't bother me whether I am the captain or a vice-captain... My only job is to go on scoring runs and I try to do just that," Gambhir said, settling down for a chat with the media after the practice session. "If I am a good leader, it's just because of my team. Unless each and everyone chips in, a team can never do well as a unit," it was the quintessential Gambhir who doesn't buckle down at 97 so that he can complete his century in a World Cup final.
According to a report in Deccan Herald, Gautam Gambhir predicted a tough one-day series in Sri Lanka while stressing on the need to adopt a more professional approach. Speaking on the first day of the two-day camp on Monday for the Lanka-bound Indian cricketers, Gambhir said the tour was critical as it would help the team to prepare for two tough home series against New Zealand and England.