Former Kolkata Knight Riders captain Gautam Gambhir has come down hard at the current skipper Eoin Morgan for his captaincy.
KKR’s mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy struck twice in his opening over, dismissing RCB skipper Virat Kohli and rookie batsman Rajat Patidar at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on Sunday.
However, Morgan surprisingly decided not to give another over to Varun Chakravarthy in the powerplay overs. This gave time to Glenn Maxwell to get settled against the other bowlers as Morgan gave the ball to Cummins, Shakib Al Hasan, Harbhajan Singh, and Prasidh Krishna.
Varun was then given the eighth over by Morgan but he was taken for 14 runs (including a four and a six) by Glenn Maxwell. Chakravarthy finished his quota of overs after conceding 39 runs and taking two wickets. KKR went on to concede 204 runs after Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers batted in destructive mode and scored fine half-centuries.
“That is the most ridiculous captaincy I have ever seen. I can’t explain that… That is probably the worse, weird kind of captaincy I have ever seen in my life. Someone (Varun Chakravarthy) taking two wickets in his 1st over and then doesn’t get to bowl the next over. You could have actually sealed the game in the first 6 overs. Had Varun Chakravarthy got his 3rd wicket or had he got Glenn Maxwell out in the first 6 overs, this game would have been over there and then,” said Gautam Gambhir while talking to Star Sports mid-innings show.
When Morgan was asked why he gave a solitary over to Varun Chakravarthy in the powerplay overs despite the fact that he scalped two wickets in his maiden over, Morgan stated that you cannot plan for a particular player (Glenn Maxwell) as AB de Villiers was yet to come and he wanted to have Varun’s overs in the bank.
Morgan said in the post-match presentation, “Probably not (on Varun not bowling again in Powerplay). Maxwell is a destructive player but he isn’t their only star player. You do need an over or two up your sleeve for someone like De Villiers. They are full of strength and depth. Every side in the competition is. So you can’t plan for just one player.
RCB will now move to Mumbai, where they will face Rajasthan Royals on 22nd April.
