GAUTAM GAMBHIR admits the chance to play county cricket for Essex was too good for him to turn down.
The India batsman has joined up with Essex for the rest of the campaign to aid the club's push for promotion from the County Championship Division Two.
Usually an opener, he has made more than 4,000 Test runs in 54 appearances for India, averaging 44.18, but has not featured in their Test side since December.
He has also played 147 one-day internationals and 37 Twenty20 internationals, and brings great experience to the top of the Essex order.
And he revealed that the chance to play in the County Championship gives him the chance to fulfil a lifetime ambition.
He said: "When you are growing up as a kid you always hear about county cricket and I think you should play it once in your lifetime.
"It's always a good opportunity to come out here and play county cricket for a team like Essex which has got some quality players.
"It's going to be a good challenge and good fun as well.
"People at home think pretty highly of county cricket.
"There's not too many overseas players – especially Indians – in county cricket at the moment, but I think they rate it very highly because the standard of cricket is always pretty high, which is what you want to test yourself here.
"Back home at the moment there's not a lot of cricket and you always want to challenge yourself in different conditions, especially when you can get six first-class games in before your own first-class season starts, it's always a great opportunity.
"England is a completely different challenge to what you get at home."
Gambhir will be hoping to force his way back into contention for India ahead of their tour to England next year – but he insists he is not looking that far ahead.
He added: "The main thing is to do well for Essex and to try and bring Essex success – that is my immediate aim.
"I just need to go out there and keep scoring runs and try and contribute in every way."
Gambhir, 31, replaces New Zealand opener Hamish Rutherford as Essex's overseas star for the rest of the campaign, and he revealed he is relishing the challenges ahead.
"It's happened pretty quickly and I was really excited," he added. "Obviously Essex is a quality side with some quality players and you can learn a lot from them as well.
"There's not too much cricket at home, it's monsoon season as well, so I'm fresh, the energy levels are pretty high and I've done some work on my technique as well.
"Hopefully I can go out there in the middle and score some runs.
"It helps you develop as a cricketer to play in different conditions.
"People in Essex are pretty loyal to their team and we want to give them happiness as well."
Gambhir was not the only debutant for Essex at Colchester after the club signed England spinner Monty Panesar on loan.
The left-armer is to leave Sussex at the end of the season after a difficult campaign both on and off the field.
The latter culminated in a police caution for being drunk and disorderly after a late-night incident in Brighton.
The 31-year-old had been part of the England squad for the third Test at Old Trafford earlier this month, but has not featured internationally since the winter.
Coach Paul Grayson said: "We are delighted to welcome Monty to the club for the remainder of the season.
"He is a world-class spinner and we are confident that he will have a positive impact on the team."
