"Now a days we are playing so much cricket, which keeps changing in the three formats quickly. It’s difficult to consistently perform for anyone because we play so much of cricket, that too in changing format," India‘s star opener Gautam Gambhir said.
"No one can expect to reach the top so soon and no one can plan it either. It just happens. But it’s really very exciting to be on top," Gambhir said.
"It’s a great honour. Even till one-and-a-half-year ago I never expected to get the (Arjuna) award. But it’s indeed a great motivation and a proud moment," Gambhir said.
"You have to be in the present. That’s the biggest key to do well and to prepare well," he said.
"I have taken everything in my stride. We played Test cricket just before the IPL which started in Twenty20 format after just a few days’ gap. It’s very difficult to change your mindset so quickly and be at the peak of your game," said Gambhir.
"The more you play, the more you are bound to fail. No one can keep the intensity always," he said.
"At the moment I am on complete break and not at all thinking about cricket because I want to be in right frame of mind when I resume the game. You have to be very tough mentally to survive in international cricket," he said.
"We have another tough year coming up ahead and I want to be excited about cricket rather than feeling exhausted," Gambhir said.
Gambhir said "I just want to be successful in international cricket where everyone is constantly studying your game and working on it to trap you. So you need to keep improving physically, mentally and technically."
"In international cricket you should know your role and stick to it than thinking about who’s your partner in which series," he said.
"Yes, it does make a difference to have Sehwag at the opposite end of the crease because you always want to have a very good understanding with your partner. I am more relaxed with him at the other side because I can go and talk to him.
It is something very different, something which is needed to make successful combinations", he said.
Gambhir said "It was just one of the tournaments in which we did not do well.
"No other Indian team has won eight or nine series in a row. If you look at the larger picture, it is a very big achievement. We beat New Zealand in New Zealand and the West Indies in West Indies which was not easy," Gambhir said.
"Even if we were exhausted we have given our 100 per cent, there was not shortage of effort from any players’ part," he added.