150 in Colombo one of my best ODI knocks: Gambhir

Colombo, Feb 6: Elated at starting off the year on a high, India opener Gautam Gambhir described his 150-run knock against Sri Lanka in the fourth one-dayer here as one of his best innings which would set the momentum for the New Zealand tour starting later this month.
"Each hundred is important, but in the end it is the win that matters. It’s very satisfying because everyone had said it was tough to get a hundred in Sri Lanka. So I can say it’s one of my best knocks," Gambhir said.
"It’s important to start the year with such a knock. You can carry the momentum throughout the year. I wanted to get a big score here because New Zealand tour is coming up," said Gambhir who has amassed 2,411 runs, including six centuries, in 68 one-dayers.
India have already pocketed the five-match series but Gambhir said the team would look for a whitewash.
"You cannot be complacent for the next game after being 4-0 up. It does not happen with us. When you go onto the field you go to win. When you are playing for your country you cannot take any game lightly. It’s going to be a fantastic achievement if we can make it 5-0," he said.
Asked what was the main reason for India’s dream run in Sri Lanka, the Delhi batsman attributed it to the successful tackling of spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis.
"I think the way we have played Mendis and Murali is just incredible," Gambhir said after being named man of the match for his career-best 150. "The way our batsman, especially Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virender Sehwag, have played Mendis and Murali is fantastic," said Gambhir. "The way Mendis and Murali bowled against us in the last Test series, it was important for us to handle them well," added Gambhir referring to Sri Lanka’s Test series win over India at home last year.
Mendis took 26 wickets in that series -- best by any bowler in a debut three-match series -- while Muralitharan grabbed 21 wickets.
Gambhir felt the Indian batsmen have now learnt how to tackle Mendis, which was not the case during the Test series last year.
"Mendis is a bit different. When you play someone like him for the first time you need a little bit of time to adjust yourself. Unfortunately, it was us who played him for the first time."
"Now we have had a good look at what he does and what he doesn’t. The way we have played him a second time is just fantastic," Gambhir said. (PTI)