Gautam Gambhir hasn’t had the time yet to unpack after returning from the IPL in South Africa, and it’s already time for him to jet out again. Quietly shutting himself from everything cricket, he spent some quality time with his family to recharge his batteries. Before catching the flight for Mumbai on his way to England for the World T20 Championship, the versatile left-hander spoke to The Indian Express on his form, India’s chances in England and his dislike for stereotyping.

Excerpts:

•There has been a fair bit of debate over your form ahead of the World Cup.

• I really don’t feel stressed or worried about what is being said around me. It’s not easy to come to T20 soon after playing a Test series and anybody who watched the games knows I was unlucky on a couple of occasions. If you look at the overall picture, I was not way off the mark. It’s not that I didn’t score runs at all. Just one match before the semi-final, I got 40-odd runs. I was Man of the Match against Kolkata Knight Riders. I think it’s okay once in a while if you don’t reach the peak. It’s the mental state that really matters and it tells you what kind of form you are in. I am feeling very comfortable with myself and my form.

•Does the tag of “Bradman of T20” put pressure on you?

• Honestly, I don’t believe in these tags. It doesn’t bother me if you call me T20 Bradman or The Wall, because that’s what people call you at a particular time when you have done well. I have always been concerned about scoring runs in every game, in every situation, without bothering to justify the brand name given to me.

... contd.