Senior India batsman Gautam Gambhir has defended his decision to play the Indian Premier League eliminator against Mumbai Indians despite injury, and rubbished suggestions that he compromised the national team's interests for Kolkata Knight Riders. The southpaw aggravated his injury and subsequently missed out on India's tour of West Indies.

Gambhir told NDTV: "Andrew Leipus was assessing me throughout the IPL and I had got this injury during the World Cup final. We went for an MRI scan and the report came on April 24 and this match was on 25th.

Andrew's first reaction was 'let's discuss the report' but I said, I want to play whatever the injury, whatever happens. I did not want to let my team (KKR) down. And I felt that was a right decision."