Former KKR skipper and current commentator Gautam Gambhir feels Eoin Morgan’s call for not giving Varun Chakravarthy a second over in the powerplay was the most ridiculous kind of captaincy he has seen. He minced no words as he tore into KKR cricketer’s captaincy style.
Kolkata Knight Riders have had a torrid start to the IPL 2021. After winning their first game against Sunrisers Hyderabad by 10 runs, KKR have failed to win their next two games while chasing. Against Mumbai Indians, they bottled up an easy run-chase as they required just 31 runs off the last five overs with six wickets in hand.
In the third game against Royal Challengers Bangalore, they had an excellent start with the ball despite losing the toss and getting to field first in an afternoon game. Chakravarthy bowled the second over of the game and dismissed Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar in the space of four deliveries to leave RCB in reeling at 9/2.
However, strangely, the mystery spinner never got another over in the powerplay and was taken out of the attack. An in-form Glenn Maxwell walked in and changed the complexion of the game with his 78 off 49 balls before AB de Villiers went berserk at the death, smacking 76 off 34 balls to help RCB get to 204.
That was too steep a chase for KKR as they fell 38 runs short. Former KKR skipper and current commentator Gautam Gambhir was furious with Eoin Morgan’s captaincy. He felt removing Chakravarthy out of the attack after he had picked up two wickets was a huge mistake and he said it was the weirdest piece of captaincy he had ever seen.
“Virat Kohli was a big wicket, no doubt about it. But that has to be the weirdest kind of captaincy I have ever seen in my life. Someone taking two wickets in the first over, and then does not get to bowl the next one. Probably when you know the in-form batter is in.
You could have probably seen the game in the first six overs, had Varun Chakravarthy had picked the third wicket or dismissed Glenn Maxwell. This game could have been over there and then,”
Gambhir was quoted saying in a chat with the official broadcasters Star Sports.
With just two points from three games, KKR are sixth on the points table and have a net run rate of -0.633. Eoin Morgan and co next face Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on the 21st of April.
