Opening Up: Interesting takeaways from Gautam Gambhir’s interviews

Tags: New Zealand tour of India, 2016, India, Gautam Gambhir, Gautam Gambhir interview

Published on: Oct 18, 2016

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir is back in the news. A few days before turning 35, he made a comeback to the Indian Test team. He had a decent Test making 29 and 50

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir is back in the news. A few days before turning 35, he made a comeback to the Indian Test team. He had a decent Test making 29 and 50. In an interview to NDTV, he stressed on important aspects of Indian cricket like his equation with current captain Virat Kohli as well as his stance on the Indo-Pak relations.

About Kohli, and how are things between the two

As a leader you want your team to play as you are. Both of us are aggressive and passionate individuals and want to do well for our respective teams. Even if we have difference of opinion there is nothing wrong in it. We both have same ambition that is to make our country proud and try to win each and every game as possible and try to contribute in the team’s success. There is nothing personal about it. We are pretty good friends on and off the field.

Gautam Gambhir

Gambhir and Kohli had an infamous spat during a 2013 IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Bangalore Challengers.

Whether India should play cricket with Pakistan

Not at all. I cannot think about playing Pakistan. Life of people of this country is far more important than any sports or any other thing. I am talking as an Indian and not as a cricketer. I believe we should not have any ties or relationship with Pakistan. For me it is very important to protect out people.

Watch the full interview

Gambhir also gave an interview of Hindustan Times in which he spoke in detail about his Test comeback as well as the upcoming England series.

On his comeback after a two-year hiatus, he told the paper, “Any opportunity you get to play for your country and wear that blue cap is an honour. Comebacks are difficult, it’s a great feeling. Tests are special, the format closest to my heart.”

Elaborating on the difference between his latest comeback and the previous one, Gambhir explained, “The conditions were different in England in 2014. I have made a few adjustments to my batting. This time I got more match practice. I played three Duleep Trophy games before playing in Indore. When you feel comfortable about your game, you are in a happy space.”

Describing the feeling of being back in the Indian dressing room after two years, the opener elaborated, “A winning team and a winning dressing room is always a happy place to be in. People are a lot comfortable. I have played a lot of cricket with these guys and when you walk into a dressing room that is happy, it immediately makes you feel comfortable.”

Gambhir also went on to add that the upcoming England series would be a good one. “They (England) are going to come hard at you. Five Tests are a very long time. Teams can make a comeback unlike when you play a three-Test series. They have a quality attack. People like James Anderson, Stuart Broad have played in India and have done reasonably well,” he told Hindustan Times.

--By A Cricket Correspondent

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