01 june 2012
New Delhi: After
leading Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL title, Gautam Gambhir says he
is ready to take up the responsibility to captain Team India as well.
Speaking to NDTV's Srinivasan Jain, Gambhir said he is ready for the challenge but it is the team that matters the most and not the captain.
"Yes, it's the biggest honour. (I am) Ready for the responsibility of the challenge because you want to test yourself in different challenges as well. That is where your mental toughness and your character will be tested.
"But as I have always said a captain is only as good as his team. I think it's a successful team that makes a successful captain. It's not a successful captain that makes a successful team," he says.
Gambhir, who takes his cricket very seriously, can hardly be spotted smiling on the field and unlike most others he admits that he doesn't enjoy the game and is a very insecure player.
"I don't enjoy cricket. I just take it as a priority.. something that I have to do."
"I am very insecure because that's how I have played cricket. Since Under-14 I was told if you don't perform you will be dropped. I have started living with this system," he says.
Gambhir, known for his short temper, also believes that he has become more calm and mature.
"Only time I show my emotions and anger is on the cricket field, otherwise I have mellowed down. And with age you end up mellowing down and it is always important because there have been situations where I have crossed those lines. I still remember the incident that happened with Shane Watson (The two were involved in a spat at Feroze Shah Kotla when India played Australia in a Test in October 2008) and after that I have apologised to everyone. I have matured. I have learnt from those experiences. Life is all about learning from your mistakes," says the 30-year-old.
The batsman who hails from Delhi and originally played for the Daredevils in the first three seasons of the IPL also says he is very happy with KKR and does not miss playing for Delhi in the T20 league.
"It was Delhi's decision. They were the ones who did not retain me. They just wanted to retain Viru (Sehwag). I think after that I realised whatever happens, happens for the good.
"I'm very happy, very lucky that I have been part of KKR because the best two years of my cricketing career in IPL...though I played for Delhi for the first three years... I have never been so relaxed, I have never enjoyed so much of cricket that I have enjoyed in Kolkata and with KKR," says Gambhir.
People had been skeptical about the reception Gambhir would receive in Kolkata when the Shah Rukh Khan-owned team chose to not bid for the state's favourite son Sourav Ganguly and handed over the reins to Gambhir who was bought by the franchise for a record price of USD 2.4 million.
Gambhir also took on politicians who have asked for a ban on the IPL due to the many controversies the league has been embroiled in.
"People who are talking about banning IPL, they should think about many other things that are troubling the country. People who want to look after IPL will do," said Gambhir.
I'm ready for Test captaincy, says Gautam Gambhir
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Speaking to NDTV's Srinivasan Jain, Gambhir said he is ready for the challenge but it is the team that matters the most and not the captain.
"Yes, it's the biggest honour. (I am) Ready for the responsibility of the challenge because you want to test yourself in different challenges as well. That is where your mental toughness and your character will be tested.
"But as I have always said a captain is only as good as his team. I think it's a successful team that makes a successful captain. It's not a successful captain that makes a successful team," he says.
Gambhir, who takes his cricket very seriously, can hardly be spotted smiling on the field and unlike most others he admits that he doesn't enjoy the game and is a very insecure player.
"I don't enjoy cricket. I just take it as a priority.. something that I have to do."
"I am very insecure because that's how I have played cricket. Since Under-14 I was told if you don't perform you will be dropped. I have started living with this system," he says.
Gambhir, known for his short temper, also believes that he has become more calm and mature.
"Only time I show my emotions and anger is on the cricket field, otherwise I have mellowed down. And with age you end up mellowing down and it is always important because there have been situations where I have crossed those lines. I still remember the incident that happened with Shane Watson (The two were involved in a spat at Feroze Shah Kotla when India played Australia in a Test in October 2008) and after that I have apologised to everyone. I have matured. I have learnt from those experiences. Life is all about learning from your mistakes," says the 30-year-old.
The batsman who hails from Delhi and originally played for the Daredevils in the first three seasons of the IPL also says he is very happy with KKR and does not miss playing for Delhi in the T20 league.
"It was Delhi's decision. They were the ones who did not retain me. They just wanted to retain Viru (Sehwag). I think after that I realised whatever happens, happens for the good.
"I'm very happy, very lucky that I have been part of KKR because the best two years of my cricketing career in IPL...though I played for Delhi for the first three years... I have never been so relaxed, I have never enjoyed so much of cricket that I have enjoyed in Kolkata and with KKR," says Gambhir.
People had been skeptical about the reception Gambhir would receive in Kolkata when the Shah Rukh Khan-owned team chose to not bid for the state's favourite son Sourav Ganguly and handed over the reins to Gambhir who was bought by the franchise for a record price of USD 2.4 million.
Gambhir also took on politicians who have asked for a ban on the IPL due to the many controversies the league has been embroiled in.
"People who are talking about banning IPL, they should think about many other things that are troubling the country. People who want to look after IPL will do," said Gambhir.
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