Former India player Gautam Gambhir pointed out the tactical errors Virat Kohli committed in the ODI series against Australia, which led to the team’s downfall.
The Indian men’s cricket team faced a humiliating defeat at the hands of the hosts in Australia in the first two matches of the ODI series. The visitors were outplayed in all the departments and especially their bowling unit’s outings were deemed lacklustre after they failed to pick wickets at regular intervals and leaked runs at several stages of the game. Former India batsman Gautam Gambhir feels this has to do with Virat Kohli’s inability to handle the premier bowlers of his side.
Gautam Gambhir blasts Virat Kohli for “poor” captaincy
The cricketer-turned-politician, who was considered to be a fiery character on the field, is no different outside the cricket ground as well. Known to not mince his words, the 39-year-old has been very vocal about his displeasure regarding Virat Kohli’s captaincy, especially in white-ball cricket. Gambhir, in the past, has also suggested that Rohit Sharma would be a more potent leader for the Indian limited-overs cricket team due to his monumental success in the Indian Premier League competition over the years.Â
Post India’s defeat in the second ODI of their India vs Australia 2020 tour, Gautam Gambhir pointed out tactical errors the Indian captain committee, which led to the team’s downfall. Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, India’s ex-opener stated how Virat Kohli’s strategy to give Jasprit Bumrah only two overs up-front with the new-ball was baffling. India’s inability to pick up wickets was highlighted after the first match, and Kohli’s handling of Bumrah in the subsequent match did not help the team’s cause as per Gambhir.
The cricketer-turned-politician was of the opinion that a longer spell was expected from Jasprit Bumrah considering the 50-over format. He added that how shorter spells were more suited more to T20 cricket and the same approach should not be replicated in ODIs. After the first match of the India vs Australia 2020 series, Gambhir was unhappy with the absence of a sixth bowling option in the team. He also went on to criticize the team selection due to the same issue as he feels someone like Washington Sundar or Shivam Dube could have been handed an opportunity in the final fixture if they were a part of the Indian contingent.
Virat Kohli stats
The 32-year-old cricketer has established himself as a modern-day great with phenomenal performances across all formats over the years. The player also became the fastest batsman to amass 22,000 international runs on Sunday. With a batting average of close to 60, he is one of the most accomplished players in world cricket in the ODI format. In 250 matches, Kohli has scored 11,977 runs and has 43 centuries to his name.
