Delhi 3: Aakash Chopra steps in to defend Virat Kohli following Gautam Gambhir’s criticism

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Chopra
Aakash Chopra does not feel a captaincy change will happen (Prameya/Jagran/Cricket Country)

Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra chimed in to support Virat Kohli after the captain was put under the scanner by Gautam Gambir.  Following Royal Challengers Bangalore’s extended barren run, Gambhir had called for the franchise to strip the captaincy of Virat Kohli. 

Failing to make it to the playoffs in the previous three editions, Virat Kohli was able to lead the franchise into the knockout stages before getting eliminated at the hands of Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Chopra
Aakash Chopra does not feel a captaincy change will happen (Prameya/Jagran/Cricket Country)

Gambhir believed that Kohli had received enough faith by the franchise after sticking by him as a leader for eight years. He compared how fellow skipper Rohit Sharma has led Mumbai Indians towards five IPL titles.

Aakash Chopra, on the other hand, in response to Gambhir’s claims, felt that the comparison was unfair and asked whether if Rohit Sharma could lead the side that Kohli has at his disposal to glory. The former Indian opener also added that Gambhir’s claim of making Sharma, the captain of India for the shortest format is rather unjustified.

“Gautam Gambhir believes that it is the nation’s misfortune if Rohit Sharma is not made the Indian T20I captain because he is the most successful captain in the IPL,” said Chopra in a video shared on his Facebook page.

“But I have a question, that if Rohit was given the RCB team, which is there with Kohli, will he have won two, three or four out of the five titles MI have won?”

The logic of equating and translating leadership in IPL into the national team eligibility did not bode well with Chopra who defended the current skipper and expressed his admiration for the Hittman at the same time.

“Rohit as a captain is outstanding, I love him to bits but can the Mumbai Indians’ success story be equated with India? That is my question. Just because Kohli’s team does not do well, does it mean that is Kohli’s fault,”

Chopra does not feel a captaincy change looming by 

To conclude, the former cricketer turned panellist and expert, added that despite all the talk surrounding Sharma’s potential rise to captaincy, he does not see it happening at the moment.

“There are not too many T20 matches at the moment. Let us wait for some time, let us be cool, he cannot become the captain now. Kohli is the captain currently and I don’t feel that there is going to be a captaincy change in this team now,” he said

Rohit Sharma has often stepped in for Virat Kohli as captain during the latter’s absence from the team. The Hitman’s claim to fame as a skipper include the 2018 Asia Cup in the UAE and notable series victories in the white-ball format.

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