Chennai: Gautam Gambhir said on Monday that he is not bothered about his position in the Indian cricket team and is only focused on playing his role in the side as a true professional.
“I am not bothered about my designation in the team. My job is to play to my potential as a professional and do well for my country and my team,” Gambhir said after the first day of the training-camp ahead of the Sri Lankan tour.
Rising star of the Indian team, Virat Kohli, had replaced Gambir as the vice-captain of the side for Asia Cup in Bangaldesh last March and continues to be deputy to MS Dhoni.
Gambhir, like his state-mate Virender Sehwag, said that a team’s success was not confined to just leadership of a captain.
The left-handed opener emphasised that success of team even goes beyond the performance of the players.
“I have always maintained that a captain is as good as his team. The credit of success goes to everyone in the team and not the captain alone. Not only the 23 players but all the support staff and management staff,” he said.
Gambhir said the team need to do well against Sri Lanka to set the tone for the season, in which they are slated to play formidable England and Australia.
“It is a fresh series of a fresh season and it is important that we need to be totally professional in our approach to gain the momentum and take it forward in our next series against England and Australia.
“We have talented players in our dressing room and we need to play to our potential to gain good results. Sri Lanka is a very formidable side in their own backyard,” he said.
The Delhi player said he wants to do well in the ODI series against the Lankans as it will prepare him for more challenges ahead.
“[The] series against Sri Lanka is very important for us. As I said they are very formidable side, especially after they having played a tough series against Pakistan.
“As we play in all three forms of cricket, the coming series is important to us. I can take forward my success to Test series against England and Australia. We can take the momentum forward,” he said.
Gambhir said the side was not targetting any specicfic players when it will take field against Sri Lanka but would focus on executing overall plans.
“It does not matter how often you play against known players. It is important as to how you succeed with your on-field plans. Whether we are familiar with the players or conditions, we need to deliver,” he said.
Asked about the resumption of cricket ties with Pakistan, Gambhir said playing Pakistan was no different from playing any other nation.
“It (series with Pakistan) is to be decided by the BCCI and the government. No professional cricketer would say that he approaches a series against Pakistan or any other country with a particular strategy.
“We take every match and series as it comes. Whether we are playing Bangladesh or Afghanistan or Pakistan, we cannot take any team lightly. We are professional cricketers and we need to perform as professionals on field,” he said. (PTI)