| Player: | G Gambhir |
| Event: | ICC Champions Trophy 2009/10 |
India opener Gautam Gambhir said that he will surely miss his opening partner and Virender Sehwag's absence will play in his mind in the Champions Trophy
Gambhir though said Sehwag's absence will play in his mind but also added that he would take the onus to anchor his team during the mega tournament.
"He is a legend of the game and surely you miss him. We have a tremendous rapport, both on and off the field," said Gambhir about his Delhi team-mate who is recovering from a shoulder injury.
"It (Sehwag's absence) does play on your mind. When he is around, he is so destructive that he allows you to be yourself. When he is not around, you try to take up the responsibility from both ends," he added.
Even the numbers say that Gambhir is not his usual self when Sehwag is not at the other end.
In the Twenty20 World Cup in England this June, where Sehwag was out of fray, Gambhir could only manage 148 runs from five innings at an average of 29.60.
Sehwag absence means Gambhir will open the innings with batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar and the Delhi left-hander said he is excited to play along side the legend.
"What I watched of Sachin in the finals in Sri Lanka was nothing less than awesome. It would be great to bat alongside him in this trophy.