It’s Boom Boom for Gibbsy now

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Sporting tattoos on his arms is this self proclaimed free spirit, Herschelle Gibbs, a South African batsman on the Mumbai Indians team. He is all geared up to play against Chennai Super Kings today. Gibbsy and Scooter as his friends fondly call him says, “It’s a final for the teams. Both teams have been down the road before. It’s a fantastic venue to play at.” He insists that this is not the end of the road in his career. He says, “I will continue playing for at least another three years, irrespective of being in the IPL or not. I know I still have got a lot to offer.”

This agile cricketer believes that his fantastic fielding comes naturally to him. He says, “But I do work hard on my fielding and find it important to stay in shape. It is about maintaining athleticism and skills on a weekly basis.” He trains with the Mumbai Indians and spends a good two-and-a-half months with them during the IPL, but says, “It is unfortunate that the team hasn’t gelled yet. There are enough quality players but we haven’t given our best and today is the day for that. There is a lack of consistency that it boils down to, eventually.”

Herschelle loves India and Mumbai in particular. He says, “I’ve been coming to India since 1996 with the South African team. I have seen the country going through many phases. The progress has been wonderful. Mumbai has the most to offer in India. There is always stuff to do there.”

Not only has he seen a change in the country but also in the IPL. He says, “The first three years of the IPL were the best. This year, the skill and temperament of the players has improved as they are playing a lot more around the world. The games have become closer and the results have shown this year.”

The loner Gibbsy has support from his family who live in Cape Town, “I’ve been on the road for so long, I am on my own really. I’ve learnt to go through all the ups and downs on my own.”

When he has time for hobbies, he makes time for shopping, playing golf and watching rugby and football. “I have my own range of clothing called Boom Boom clothing that is coming out next summer. I am looking forward to that. This is a line of general sports men’s wear. I’m a big man of fashion and enjoy dressing,” says Herschelle. The cricketer will be visiting London next week. He adds, “London is where I do the bulk of my shopping. I pop into the Puma store, I’m a big fan of Dolce and Gabbana’s formal line. Hugo Boss is another favourite.”

About his favourite football team he says, “My favourite has to be Manchester United. I’ve been with them for 32 years. And my favourite footballer is Ronaldo. He is amazing. There was no reason for me to watch the Champions League final as Man U wasn’t playing, so I didn't watch it.”