Royal Challengers Bangalore head coach Simon Katich came to the defense of captain Virat Kohli, who has been under criticism since the team exited the 2020 IPL with a loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
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There have been calls for Kohli to be removed as captain, and former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir called for “accountability” on the leader’s part. Kohli had a moderate IPL on the bat, scoring 466 runs in 15 innings with a strike rate of just 121.35.
Katich, however, said that Devdutt Padikkal’s success at the top meant that Kohli often came to bat after Power Play, which was difficult in UAE conditions.
“What we saw this year, we had consistent opening partnerships between Padikkal and Finch, even though we didn’t get the runs that we expected from Finch, we actually got solid opening partnerships,” Katich said in a press release. conference.
Gautam Gambhir has some harsh words for Virat Kohli, suggesting that he should be removed from the captaincy
“That was an area we wanted to address. We got it, but as a byproduct of that, it probably meant Virat entered the innings outside of Power Play on a number of occasions, which is never an easy time to start their innings in particular. the United Arab Emirates, where we found that conditions started to slow down later.
“That was a challenge for him, but I think we saw Virat’s class, particularly in the game against CSK where he was 90 out of 50.
“There were several times when the game situation didn’t help. He looked good at the top of the bowling alley, but we kept losing ground at crucial moments, that would only slow down his progress. So you can’t just judge by the numbers. There was. several games in which he looked very comfortable, but unfortunately he stalled at times. “
Katich also endorsed Kohli’s leadership, saying he was professional, committed to the team, and highly respected within the franchise.
“From a leadership point of view, we were very fortunate to spend these last 11 weeks working with him for the first time. What we have seen is someone very professional, someone very highly respected by the group here. And not just because of what he does. in the field. His time in the group, both he and his wife Anushka spend a lot of time around the group in the team room, they socialize with everyone, “he explained.
“What we saw: We have seen someone who is very involved in this group, spend a lot of time with the younger players, particularly we paired him with Padikkal as a mentor. We saw his growth throughout the tournament, hitting with Kohli is very valuable to him. its growth.
“That is a side that many people do not see Virat. The other thing that we saw that was very visible on the field is that we have a leader who, no matter what the game situation is, makes the other 10 players follow him and remains in the contest.
“One thing we are proud of is that we endured the contest and fought to the end. Even last night, we didn’t have enough races on the board, but we fought to the end. That’s something we’re proud of and Virat can take a lot of credit. so “.
Earlier, Gambhir had said that it’s time for Kohli to take responsibility for RCB’s empty trophy cabinet. Kohli has been a team captain since 2013.
“100%, because the problem is one of responsibility. Eight years after the tournament [without a trophy], eight years is a long time. Tell me any other captain … forget about the captain, tell me any other player who had turned eight and had not won the title and would have continued with him. So it has to be responsibility. A captain must take responsibility, ” Gambhir told ESPNcricinfo.
“It’s not just about one year, it’s not just about this. I have nothing against Virat Kohli, but at some point, he needs to raise his hand and say, ‘Yes, I am responsible. I am responsible ‘.
“Eight years is a long, long time. Look what happened to R. Ashwin. Two years of captaincy [for the Kings XI Punjab], was unable to give birth and was removed. We talk about MS Dhoni, we talk about Rohit Sharma, we talk about Virat Kohli … not at all. Dhoni has won three [IPL] titles, Rohit Sharma has won four titles, and that is why they have been captains for so long because they have delivered. I’m sure if Rohit Sharma hadn’t been eight years old, they would have eliminated him too. There shouldn’t be different criteria for different people.
“The problem and responsibility start from the top, not from management or support staff, but from the leader. You are the leader, you are the captain. When you get the credit, you must also accept criticism.
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