By Hindustan Times
After leading Kolkata Knight Riders to its maiden IPL title win, skipper Gautam Gambhir said the victory sends out a message that cricket is a team game and it's not confined to individual performances. Gambhir's strong reaction came when he was asked if team hoped of win when he himself
was out early while chasing 191. He was also asked about spinner Sunil Narine's contribution in his side's impressive show this season.
But the skipper asserted that his side was out to prove some degree that it is the team that wins and deserves credit and never any individual.
Gambhir could score just two and it was Manvinder Bisla's terrific 89-run knock and his 136-stand with Jacques Kallis (69) for the second one wicket, which arrange the win.
"It's not about me or that I got out early. It's about eleven individuals who took the sector. The way in which Bisla batted, the maturity and experience that Jacques showed and the cameos from Shakib and Tiwary on the end. It isn't about the way you start, it's the way you finish. Those performances won the sport for us," Gambhir said after an exhilarating five-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings.
Gambhir got a bit of irritated when he was asked about West Indian spinner Narine's contribution in team's success.
"Since the primary press conference I did, I've said I hate to discuss individuals. It was not about Sunil Narine. KKR hasn't ever been about one individual, whether that's me or another person. There was numerous discuss my form. I got 100 in Bangladesh, I had a good ODI series, nevertheless it was not about that.
"We all desired to prove to the nation that cricket is a team sport and credit should visit the team. If you would like individual credit you need to play tennis, badminton or some individual sport, not a team sport akin to cricket.
"From the primary day I put this to the team: there'll be no single day when the credit goes to a person. Victory always belongs to the team. It was important to prove to the rustic that cricket is a team game, and hopefully we've gone a way in doing that," he said.
