Gambhir : Now I Understand Life is Bigger than Cricket

Gautam Gambhir doesn't care to surrender. His half-century against New Zealand on his Test rebound brought back flashes of his pinnacle. He is the most established playing Test cricketer in India now however he is as urgent to coordinate the vitality of Virat Kohli's abundant cluster. In a visit with TOI, he discusses his girl's commitment and how he sees existence without cricket.
  

Excerpts:

 How did you stay mentally strong all these years when you were not selected?

I made an effort not to consider the stage. Had I done as such, it would have been extremely hard to keep myself inspired. That helped me remain hungry . You were a part of an Indian group which began accentuating on having fit players. How would you stay aware of this bundle of young men?

Nowadays global game has turned out to be exceptionally physical also. The present era is far fitter than what we used to be. Wellness mantras are going to develop. It's up to the person to inspire himself. Eating routine is something that you get mindful of. It's vital to eat solid and eat differed things


You stepped out to the spinners during the Indore Test, something you haven't been doing in the last three seasons of Ranji Trophy...

It has to do with the mental set-up.It depends how much you are at peace with yourself and having a blank mind. When you are not in control about your game then a lot of thoughts go through your mind. Once you are confident, it is about expanding your game.


Most of the boys in the Indian team made their debuts in front of you. How do you fit in to this team?

The most critical thing is whether I have an indistinguishable vitality from these folks then I should be a piece of this bundle. It's not about the age but rather whether I can contend with them. The group between 2007 to 2011 shared a wavelength.

Presently, Virat is building his own particular group with his image of cricketers and there is Kumble who captained you also... There's most likely the part has changed for me however the objective is the very same which is to win every amusement. This group has a great deal of vitality which originates from enthusiasm. I would love to coordinate their vitality levels furthermore share my experience too. On the off chance that the basic point is to win, then these things get sorted without anyone else's input. Kumble was a decent commander and the sort of man-director he will be, he invited me in this set-up too. With Virat driving the group, it's great to associate with individuals who are extremely energetic.


A lot of stress has been on mental conditioning these days. Did you consult anyone?

Not really. My endeavour was to be at peace with myself.It is important to cut off from the world at some point of time. That's when you get to know about yourself. When I went to Australia to train with Justin Langer, those 15 days I was cut off from everybody .I explored myself.


So where does the family come in? You have a daughter as well...

Having a daughter has helped me a lot. She keeps me happy . Watching her, I realise cricket is not about life and death. I used to be very hard on myself. I now know that cricket is just a part of my life, a profession which has to end one day and that has given me a lot of peace.


Now that you say you have realised that cricket has to end one day, have you planned ahead?

That's why I want to enjoy moment. I don't know what's going to happen 15 days down the line. At the moment, I have to fly down to Kolkata and play a Ranji Trophy match against Karnataka. I try to stay in my today and see what can happen tomorrow.

Is the open stance the only thing?

I tried to simplify my game.It is important when you are under pressure against quality attacks. It doesn't matter how you stand. It's about what kind of position you are in while you receive the ball.

When you go to play the next Ranji match, will it be more of a practice match for you?

It is not a practice game. It is a First Class game against a strong side like Karnataka.We haven't won a Ranji Trophy for a long time. I want to contribute in whatever way to make that happen. It is a good experience for that young team to be on the field for 200 overs. They will value scoring big runs.