"A captain needs to take accountability"- Gautam Gambhir believes that RCB need to look beyond Virat Kohli
Another year, another failed attempt by the Royal Challengers Bangalore to win that elusive IPL title. RCB suffered a close defeat in the IPL 2020 Eliminator at the hands of the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
They had shown a lot of promise by winning 7 out of their first 10 games this season. But in the end, they lost five games in a row, and were knocked out in the process.
Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir is of the opinion that since Virat Kohli must take accountability for the team's poor performance under his leadership. After many a trophyless year, the former India cricketer believes it is time for the team management to look for a new leader.
"Eight years into the tournament, eight years is a long time. Tell me any other captain or player who would have got eight years and wouldn't have won the title and still continued with it. A captain needs to take accountability," Gautam Gambhir told ESPNCricinfo.
"A remember a season in 2016 or 2017 where they got bowled out for 49. They got thrashed and we got a hundred in the first six overs. I have nothing against Virat Kohli. But somewhere down the line he must put his hand up and say yes I am responsible," he further added.
Gautam Gambhir believes it is wrong to compare Virat Kohli to MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma as captains
Kohli's captaincy has often been compared with that of Mumbai Indians' Rohit Sharma and Chennai Super Kings' MS Dhoni.
But Gambhir stressed that this comparison should not be made since Sharma and Dhoni have both won several titles as captains of their respective sides. He also believes that had Rohit not delivered as a skipper for eight years, even he would have lost his spot as the leader of the team.
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"We talk about Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni and then Virat Kohli? Not at all. MS Dhoni has won three titles, Rohit Sharma has won four titles and that is the reason why they captained for such a long time because they delivered. I am sure if Rohit Sharma wouldn't have delivered for 8 years, he would have been removed as well, Gautam Gambhir said.
"So there should not be different yardsticks for different players. The problem, the accountability starts from the top, from the leader. When you take the credit, you must take criticism as well," he further added.
As far as the former Kolkata Knight Riders skipper is concerned, Kohli's captaincy is not up to the mark, and RCB will need a better captain if they are to lift the IPL title anytime soon.