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Former Indian skipper Gautam Gambhir feels that Virat Kohli will perform better in T20I cricket after the burden of captaincy has been lifted off his shoulders. Gambhir still feels that Kohli is a big player despite the recent slump in perform and an ordinary run in the T20 World Cup 2021 where India were knocked out at the Super 12 stage.
“Virat Kohli is such a big player. He has just left the T20I captaincy but he is still a big player. He will still score runs and his energy will be visible. It can help him play freely. At times, when the pressure of captaincy is lifted off your shoulders, you start performing better,” Gambhir said in an exclusive interaction on Sports Tak at the inaugural ceremony of East Delhi Premier League on November 18.
Gambhir also feels that it is not right to criticise the Indian team too much after their dismal show in the mega event in UAE. The southpaw also feels that Team India’s skill level is second to none and it is the mental toughness part that needs to be taken care of.
“I don't think anything wrong happen. Two matches can't make you a bad team. Sometimes you think too much about what went wrong and start criticising them too much. Sometimes, the opposition can also play better and you need to credit them for it. The important thing is that in crunch matches your performance shows the mental toughness you possess. Skillwise, I don't think any team stands in front of India. You need to score runs in matches that matter the most, the do or die matches. I am sure that players would have given a thought to this and with Rahul Dravid's experience the team will perform better,” he opined.
On the recent debate about the workload of players, Gambhir said that it needs to be taken care of to prolong a player’s form.
”Workload management is important. If you play international cricket for a long time, it is not easy to fulfill the expectations every day. At times we say on the outside that the form is not good. A lot goes through a player's mind. Giving one series break can help in prolonging the form of a player. Workload management is important especially for fast bowlers. If we can create a big pool of fast bowlers, it will important for Indian cricket,” he opined.
The 40-year-old weighed in on Hardik Pandya’s form as well. The former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain said that his replacement won’t be available overnight and backed the Baroda all-rounder to make a comeback.
“You won't find a no.6 batter in a day, or a (Hardik's) replacement. You can't count out Hardik Pandya. Everyone is criticising him like Pandya can't make a comeback. If he's fit, bowling and in-form, he should be given a chance. He is still young. At the same time, other players should be given chances and for a long time to know their true potential. If you keep changing after every series then you won't know your best playing XI even in an year. In a big nation like ours, there is a replacement for every player. Considering the passion of cricket in India no player is invincible or indispensable,” he said.
As India started off with a win under the leadership of Rohit Sharma and his partnership with new head coach Rahul Dravid, Gambhir prayed for India’s success in the coming days.
I pray and hope that this era brings fruit but we also need to be reasonable with our expectations. Changes won't happen overnight or in a single series. The experience of Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma's calmness will be a good partnership. The kind of discipline he had as a player, if that reflects in the team and they play like that big tournaments then there is no doubt it is going to be a good era.
Gambhir talked about the East Delhi Premier League that will commence on November 30 and will include 10 teams.
“Not just Delhi cricketers but for East Delhi kids. It is not the kind of platform that will be in manifesto. It is a platform for kids to showcase their talent, the ones who don't have resources to join an academy, buy cricket shoes or a kit. For many kids it is a dream to play day-night match, share a dressing room. That was the idea behind this. It will not just be a place to improve their skills but to become a better human being,” the two-time World Cup-winner said.
