Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir slams Virat Kohli for his poor captaincy in the 2nd ODI match against Australia.
Team India scheduled to play 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is, and 4 Test matches against Australia. India struggled to get back in their form in the 50 over format matches. After losing the first ODI, India lost the second match by 51 runs.
Australia posted a mammoth total of 389 runs on the back of a super century from Steve Smith. The Indian bowlers had an off day as Steve Smith along with Finch, Warner, Labuschagne, and Maxwell smashed the Indian bowlers all over the park.
India struggled to chase the massive target and lost the match by 51 runs. With the loss, India also lost the ODI series as Australia took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match contest.
Gautam Gambhir slams Virat Kohli
“I can’t understand the captaincy to be honest. We kept talking about how important is to take wickets upfront if we have to stop this kind of batting line-up and then you make your premier bowler bowl two overs. Normally, in a One Day game probably there are three spells of 4-3-3 overs. Or probably the maximum is four overs,” Gambhir said on ESPNCricinfo’s post-match show.
“But if you stop your premier fast bowler just by bowling two overs upfront with the news, I can’t understand that kind of captaincy. I probably can’t even explain that captaincy. It is not T20 cricket. I probably can’t understand the reason to be honest because that was poor captaincy.”
Gambhir’s suggestion for the missing sixth bowler
Gambhir also talked about how India could have tried players like Washington Sundar or Shivam Dube if they were facing an issue with the sixth bowler.
“They could have given someone like Washington Sundar or Shivam Dube or whoever was there in the squad to play the next game and see how they go into the one-day format. But if you don’t have anyone in Australia then it is a selection error as well.”
“Unless and until you don’t judge someone you will never be able to find how good he is at the international level. India has not taken those options to Australia and those might come back to hurt them big time,” Gambhir said.
