Jaipur: It's not easy to induce a smile from Gautam Gambhir. The stoic Delhi opener did drop his guard when asked whether he commiserated with Shahid Afridi after the latter was not considered for the Test series against India.
"Why, even I have been dropped," he chuckled. It was just the grist for the tabloids, and he was asked instantly whether it hurt on missing out on the Test side.
"Not really," he insisted. "Only 14 could have been selected. And no matter what format you are playing, all that matters is winning the game for the country. For me, things will happen when the time is right."
Gambhir has changed as a batsman, perhaps even as a person. Gone are the days when he frittered away bright starts. Of late he has looked determined to dig himself in.
At Mohali, Umar Gul cut short a knock that promised more but by then the foundation had already been laid. His combative innings of 44 at Guwahati drew profuse praises from the captain.
"Getting a long run in the side obviously helps your confidence. It makes you feel more secure, brings the best out of you," he said.
But is he comfortable with this restraint, what in cricketing parlance is called controlled aggression?
"It is imperative to execute what your team demands of you," Gambhir tried to assert. "If you get a good start, you continue the momentum. But when the team loses an early wicket, your role at number three changes. My job in the team is to build partnerships, provide solidity at the top of the order."
He quelled all notions that the Indians may find it difficult to motivate themselves for a dead rubber. "No way we will relax. We want to keep the momentum going and are keen to win each and every game. Playing for the country needs no motivation, particularly when the opponent is Pakistan."
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