New Delhi, Oct 29: Opener Gautam Gambhir, involved in a couple of skirmishes with Australian bowlers en route to his unbeaten century, said the visitors resorted to pressure tactics as they were desperate to get him out.
Gambhir twice clashed with Shane Watson and once with Simon Katich but did not lose focus and went on to score 149 not out at close of the opening day of the third cricket Test at Freozeshah Kotla ground here.
"They`d no other way but to do all these things. They were desperately trying to get me out. They used all these as pressure tactics," Gambhir said after the day`s play.
"But all this is a part and parcel of the game, such things happen in international cricket as both the teams play for a win. But this should not affect your concentration," he added.
Gambhir, who appeared to have been provoked by Watson while he was taking his first run off the Australian`s delivery in the 51st over, nudged the bowler when he crossed him while completing the second run.
Gambhir`s gesture left Watson shaking his head in wonder and skipper Ricky Ponting took note of it. The young Delhi batman`s gesture was a reaction to an earlier exchange that happened in the 18th over when Watson had deliberately walked down the wicket to Gambhir.
Asked about his nudging Watson, Gambhir said it was just an accident.
"There was no chance that he could have got me out. It was just an accident," he said. Gambhir also had a heated exchange with Katich in the 78th over when field umpire Billy Bowden had to intervene and
separate the duo to save an altercation.
"It`s a hard-fought series so these are bound to happen. But as far as we are concerned we are not going to lodge any official complaint about the incidents," he said. The 27-year-old batsman described his ton as very special as it had come on the home turf.
"It is very special because it has come on my home turf," he said and added that he was under no pressure while batting. Gambhir said today`s hundred was different from that of his Mohali knock as "I was under pressure in the second match (in Mohali) because there was a lot of talks about my performance.
"But there was no pressure on me while batting today. I was playing my natural game. But it was important to set the tone for the match and help bowlers by scoring a lot of runs. "Aussies would be under pressure tomorrow morning," he said.
About his partnerships with Sachin Tendulkar, Gambhir said, "We were two wickets down early in the innings so long partnerships were required. Sachin and Laxman really helped a lot..."
Gambhir raised 130 runs with Tendulkar (68) and another unbroken 139 with VVS Laxman (54 not out) to help the hosts reach a comfortable 296 for three wickets at stumps. He acknowledged that winning the toss was important and said he would have to bat well tomorrow as well. "Toss is important to win in the sub-continent and on our home turf more important was good batting.
"It will be important to bat well tomorrow as well so that bowlers have enough runs to take 20 wickets," he said.
Bureau Report
