Vadodara, Dec 4: Team India captain Gautam Gambhir smashed a scintillating century off just 88 balls as India thrashed New Zealand by 9 wickets to wrap up the five match series 3-0. Gambhir said that it was the bowlers who had set the game up for India and he will cherish his back-to-back hundreds for a long time.

Having scored his second consecutive century in the ODI series, Gambhir said that the win was special as it is his first series win as captain.

Excerpts:

On back-to-back hundreds

Yeah, I think it was important I have always felt that we needed to seize things here. You can’t give any scope to New Zealand to comeback into the series. I think the bowlers did an amazing job.

On Zaheer Khan’s comeback into the ODI team

I think he [Zaheer Khan] is a quality bowler. I had said the same thing in the toss as well. Any captain will love to have him in the side. In the first over he got Brendon McCullum, the big fish, and that set the game for us. And the way Munaf [Patel] bowled and the spinners bowled, I think they did a great job in containing New Zealand to 225.

On Munaf Patel’s spell of 10-0-28-1

I think he [Munaf Patel] has been bowling well throughout the three games. He has been very economical and even in the Ranji Trophy he was bowling really well. He has taken that confidence into the series. It is great for him. He is a quality bowler and it is just about performing at this stage and he is doing it. It is good for Indian cricket.

On which hundred did he enjoyed the most

I think any hundred will be important because I have seen a lot of low scores in the last 4-5 months. So, any hundred is important especially when you get it for your country. I think this was important too because winning a series and getting a hundred is always special. And a first series win as captain is always special.

On experimenting in the last two ODIs

We had decided before this game that we will now take this series as a three game series. So, we have just won one game and there are two more games to go. So, I would personally feel that we will go with our full strength side and try and enforce 4-0 or 5-0. It is important for us as we go to South Africa and any game we play is special, I feel we play the best side in the next game as well.