Cape Town: He might have dropped the curtains on his international career more than a year back, but Deccan Chargers skipper Adam Gilchrist said he still feels like a teenager who can't wait for the cricket season to start.

The former Australian wicket-keeper batsman, who bid adieu to his international career in January last year, said he didn't play much competitive cricket after the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League and was nervous ahead of their opening encounter against Kolkata Knight Riders which they comprehensively won by eight wickets last night.

"When I was a 14-year-old we had one season off and used to wait for another season to play cricket," he said.

Apart from lauding his team-mates for the victory, Gilchrist also showered praise on coach and fellow Australian Darren Lehman, saying the left-hander had played a key role in resurrecting the fortunes of the Hyderabad outfit who finished at the bottom of the IPL table last year.

The 37-year-old dashing Aussie feels his predecessor in Deccan Chargers team, VVS Laxman will have a major role to play in difficult South Africa turfs.

"He is an experienced campaigner. We all know about his achievements in Test cricket. The pitches here will suit Laxman's style of play. He likes the ball coming onto the bat and loves playing those elegant shots while taking his own time," Gilchrist said.