PTI
New Delhi, Nov 12: Gautam Gambhir had to sit out the Nagpur Test against Australia for elbowing Shane Watson, but the Indian opener said he was provoked by the all-rounder and had no regrets for what he had done.
"No gentleman can hear things that Aussies were saying in Delhi. If what I did was wrong, then even sledging should be stopped, it has no place in the game," said the left-hander.
"Aussies sledge from all corners, they sledged at me in Bangalore, Mohali and then in Delhi. I could have taken (their sledging) only to a point but they tend to get personal which is just not on.
"I agree that I shouldn't have crossed a certain line but people should take the holistic view rather than blaming just me for the episode. Frankly, I don't regret the Watson episode," he said.
Gambhir, who scored a double century in the third Test in Delhi and a hundred before that in Mohali, said Australians never liked their opposition giving a tough fight to them.
"They don't like when the opposition reacts the way we did. Australians were never expecting that we will come hard at them and that's why they reacted the way they did."
The Delhi batsman, who emerged the highest run-getter in the four-match Test series with 463 runs, said he was unhappy for being ignored for the Man of the Series Award, which was bagged by Ishant Sharma.
"I have never been that lucky, may be I need to get 400! I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt. I take comfort in the fact that the team won the series and I am really happy for Ishant who bowled his heart out in the series," Gambhir told a website.
The opener though said he would never shed his aggressive image despite the recent tiff with the Australians.
"I like to be aggressive, I am a fighter who plays for his team, his country and will do everything to restore that pride and never you'd see me taking a backward step."
Reacting to Shahid Afridi's comment, that the ban on playing Nagpur Test would hlep the India opener learn lessons, Gambhir said, "It is a joke coming from Afridi, actually, he should concentrate on his own game rather than telling me what to do. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones at others, I can't take Afridi seriously."
On criticism against him for getting out in the 60s and 70s, Gambhir said, "Frankly, it doesn't really bother me what critics say as long as I help my team and my country win series after series and tournaments after tournaments,"
"VVS Laxman told me in Sri Lanka that my biggest challenge will be playing against Australia and I need to pass that test. I met him in Nagpur and asked him if did clear that test, he told me, 'you have not only passed the test but passed it with a distinction.' I don't think I need any more approvals from anyone."