"MS Dhoni, Sourav Ganguly, and Anil Kumble have performed well" - Gautam Gambhir on whether captaincy affects a player's game
Former India opener Gautam Gambhir believes that the added pressure of captaincy does not have a big impact on the player's performance as a batter or a bowler.
He pointed out that the likes of MS Dhoni, Sourav Ganguly, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Anil Kumble were able to contribute significantly as players while at the helm of the national side. The cricketer-turned-politician made these remarks during an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda.
Gambhir said:
"I don't think being a captain affects a batter's game. There have been many captains who have given great performances while being captains. It's about the individual mindset. MS Dhoni, Sourav Ganguly, and Anil Kumble have performed well. Similarly, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have done it too."
It is worth mentioning that Gautam Gambhir was in terrific form during his brief captaincy tenure in international cricket. The southpaw was named the skipper for India's five-match home ODI series against New Zealand in 2010.
Under Gambhir's leadership, India completed a stunning 5-0 whitewash over the visitors. He was also named Player of the Series, finishing with 329 runs from five outings.
"You are selected in the team as a batter or a bowler; captaincy is an additional responsibility" - Gautam Gambhir
During the discussion, Gautam Gambhir suggested that a player should not think about captaincy when he is batting or bowling.
The 42-year-old mentioned that the thought of captaincy should come only once the player has completed his job with the bat or the ball, adding:
"When a captain steps out to bat, his primary job is to score runs. You are selected in the team as a batter or a bowler; captaincy is an additional responsibility given to you. While batting, if you're going to think that I am the captain, the ball or the bat doesn't know that you are the captain. You are a batter when you have the bat in your hand and a bowler when you have the ball. You become the captain when you get out or complete your over."
Gambhir also proved his mettle as a leader with his successful stint with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League, leading the side to two championship trophies. He will reunite with the franchise as a mentor for IPL 2024.