We should not hesitate to prepare 'rank turners' in India: Gambhir

India opener Gautam Gambhir in many ways summed up his team's attitude while addressing the media at the Adelaide Oval here yesterday. Gambhir said that India were eagerly awaiting the rematch series against Australia in 2012-13. "When we go overseas, everyone prepares wickets according to their own strengths.


Gautam Gambhir

That's why there must not be any talk that we shouldn't prepare rank turners (when teams tour India). People keep questioning why we would want to prepare rank turners. We have seen in last three Test matches (here in Australia), there was lot of grass. We shouldn't hesitate to prepare rank turners," Gambhir said after India's training session.

According to Gambhir, Peter Siddle, who has 17 wickets from three previous Tests, must be judged based on his performance in the subcontinent. "The difference (in his bowling) has been the conditions. He made his debut in Mohali (in 2008-09). He bowled well in that series. But, these are his own conditions, his own backyard. When he starts bowling well in the subcontinent, that's when you'd call him a good bowler. The important thing is how he bowls in the subcontinent," felt Gambhir.

Not a bad side
A proud Gambhir said that losing seven Tests overseas (four in England and three in Australia) doesn't make India a bad side. "Every Test that you play for your country is special. You have to be motivated. Though we are 0-3 down, there's lot of cricket coming up.

You don't become a bad team by doing badly in just one or two series. Before the England tour, we were the No 1 team. So, we won't get bad in a few months. We have to support each other in these tough times," he said.Gambhir felt the loss to Australia has hurt more than the whitewash in England. "Both have been at par in terms of performance. But, conditions were very different in England... there was lot of lateral movement there.

Super Aus
Here, Australia have an inexperienced attack, but they have never let us off the hook. They kept coming at us all the time. So, a lot of credit goes to Australia," said the southpaw.

Meanwhile, Gambhir said the team was not thinking about Sachin Tendulkar's impending 100th international ton. "What is more important is an Indian win. You don't think about individual records. I would say the 0-3 (scoreline) is more hurting than Sachin not getting his 100 still. If we can make it 3-1, it's more satisfying than Sachin getting a 100," he said.