Hyderabad: Sourav Ganguly isn’t thinking about a semi-final berth. The top priority is to win every match and so he wants to include Shoaib Akhtar in the team as early as possible. The Kolkata Knight Riders’ captain was candid during a chat with The Telegraph on Sunday evening. Earlier, he also spoke to the media.

The following are excerpts

Q How do you rate your innings?

A It’s a good knock… One of the better knocks I’ve played in recent memory… A typical Twenty20 innings. But wouldn’t like to place it anywhere.

 

How important is it for your career?

Not looking at it that way… That it has helped the team win is the most important thing.

 

How do you assess the team’s performance?

First and foremost, we shouldn’t have lost that match in Mohali. That loss should have been averted. We lost it from a winning situation.

 

Would you reckon the Eden win versus Bangalore Royal Challengers as the turning point?

Not thinking in those lines now… The target is to win each and every game now… We just cannot take any team lightly.

 

Are you thinking about the semi-final line-up?

Very tough to say… It’s still very open. We have six games left of which four are home matches. Don’t want to think about it right now. The target is to win each and every game. Only then can we make the last four.

 

Do you want to single out any match as more important?

Every match is tough… Whoever plays well on the given day wins. Tough to pick up a favourite in this format. There’s no guarantee that any team will win. Who thought Mumbai Indians would beat Rajasthan Royals! But that is how it happens here!

 

When and where would you fit in Shoaib Akhtar?

Possibly in the next match… Umar Gul will have to sit out.

 

Wriddhiman, Dinda and Shukla have excelled. How important is this for the team?

Everyone is playing well… They have a good stage to perform and they have to do it. Look at today… Everyone contributed to the win. This is the secret.

 

How important is today’s win?

It was an important game for us. It was important to win and stay in the reckoning. This was also crucial since it was an away match. The margin may look big but it wasn’t easy. They ran close till the end. We have been most affected by the exodus of players. First it was Ricky Ponting and Brendon McCullum… Then Chris Gayle. Just when we were about to settle down with our batting order came Brad Hodge’s call! But these are things beyond our control.

 

Are you sad at missing out on a hundred?

You just can’t go out and get a hundred when you want to… More so in Twenty20. You have be on the lookout for runs at every opportunity. The runs are more important. Maintaining the momentum is crucial.

 

You were a bit cautious at the start. Was that pre-planned?

The plan was to keep wickets in hand. We have suffered in the earlier matches by losing wickets in a heap. Just didn’t want to repeat the same mistake. The wicket was good and the outfield fast. I knew if I managed to stay put, runs would automatically flow.

 

Will today’s innings make your comeback easier in the shorter version of the game?

I keep saying I don’t wish to talk about such things. Everyone knows I wasn’t dropped on performance alone! My job is to get the runs.

 

You enjoyed huge support here today. Were you surprised?

It doesn’t make much of a difference to me… I have been around for long. But for the young guys in the team it’s a different experience. That’s the fun of playing in home and away matches.