After losing four wickets in quick sucession, India's game plan in the tri-series match against Sri Lanka was to play safe till the 40th over and then accelerate in the slog overs, according to centurion Gautam Gambhir [Images].

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"We had a gameplan to keep wickets till the 40th over and then go for some quick runs. We knew if we had a big partnership, we could accelerate towards the end," said Gambhir, who scored his third ODI century in the rain-abandoned game in Brisbane on Tuesday.

Gambhir (102 not out) shared an unbeaten fifth wicket stand of 184 with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni [Images] (88 not our) to bail India out of a precarious position.

The two put up a superb partnership and impressed with their running between the wickets.

"Dhoni batted very well and we concentrated on hard running as it is a big ground," the Delhi left-hander said.

"We can get two or three runs by good running on these big grounds and it was important to rotate strike. It is not like in India, where we have small grounds and quick outfields."

Gambhir scored 39 in the first match of the competition against Australia on Sunday and looked good for many more when he was trapped in front by left-arm quickie Mitchell Johnson.

But the batsman said he had learnt from his dismissal.

"I saw the video from the previous match and noticed that I was playing across the line.

"I worked in the nets with (fielding coach) Robin Singh and played a lot straighter today," he said.

Gambhir missed the Test series against Australia due to a shoulder injury but recovered to score a bagful of runs in Delhi's successful campaign in the Ranji Trophy.

"It is always good to have runs behind you but the conditions in Australia are totally different," he said.

He joined the squad before the Twenty20 international against Australia on February 1 and admitted he took time to adjust to the pitches Down Under.

"There was not much net practice and I tried to play a longer innings to acclimatise to the conditions here. But the pitch at the Gabba had even bounce and the ball was coming on to the bat," Gambhir added.