Jaipur, Dec 1: Team India captain Gautam Gambhir scored his 8th ODI hundred to lead from the front as India chased down a challenging total of 258 runs in the second ODI of the five-match series here on Wednesday.

Gambhir said that getting his first hundred as the captain of Team India was something very special and he would cherish it for a long time. The Indian captain further added that his bowlers did a fine job in containing the visitors to just 258 runs on the Jaipur track.

Excerpts:

On first hundred as Team India captain:

Yeah, I think it is important. Getting your first hundred as captain is always special. Ultimately winning the game was more special.

On timing the ball well:

Well, we always felt that the wicket will improve and the ball will come onto the bat in the second half. And it was coming nicely onto the bat and the ball was not spinning that much. I was looking to time the ball and it worked.

On New Zealand’s total:

I think they batted well. 258 on this kind of a wicket was a decent total. I still feel that our bowlers did a very good job in containing them to 258. I think the kind of batting they have- they bat really deep. Containing them to 258 was a job well done by the bowlers.

On scoring at a brisk rate without taking risk:

I always felt that just look at the ball and react rather than thinking too much. I was not thinking to muscle the ball, rather was just reacting to what was coming to me.

On taking 2-0 lead in the five match series:

I think it was a complete team effort. Bowlers did their job and the way Virat [Kohli] and [Murali] Vijay batted – it was very nice. Hopefully we can continue with the momentum in the next game and we cannot be complacent. It is about three more games and we will try to be as professional as possible.

On Sreesanth's four wicket haul:

I think he is in good rhythm. I have always felt that he is a wicket taking bowler. He was bowling very well in the Test matches and he has got the rhythm going in the one-dayers as well. The way he has bowled I think it is a great sign for Indian cricket because he is a wicket taking bowler. He is an attacking bowler, which you always need in a one-day game. He has done well in the two games he has played.

On trying to win the series in Baroda:

We are professional cricketers and when you are playing for your country then you can’t be complacent. We are looking forward and carry the momentum forward to Baroda.