Gambhir criticises Kohli’s captaincy, says no other captain would give Bumrah two-over opening spell

NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir has criticised Virat Kohli’s captaincy, saying that India captain committed a tactical blunder by giving his premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah just a two-over opening spell in the series-conceding second ODI against Australia.
Gambhir said that he could not understand Kohli’s decision to give Bumrah only two overs with the new ball and added that a five-over spell would have given pacer best opportunity to pick up wickets upfront.
”I can’t understand the captaincy to be honest. We kept talking about how important is to take wickets upfront if we have to stop this kind of batting line-up and then you make your premier bowler bowl two overs. Normally, in a One Day game probably there are three spells of 4-3-3 overs. Or probably the maximum is four overs,” Gambhir said on ESPNCricinfo’s post-match show.
”But if you stop your premier fast bowler just by bowling two overs upfront with the news, I can’t understand that kind of captaincy. I probably can’t even explain that captaincy. It is not T20 cricket. I probably can’t understand the reason to be honest because that was poor captaincy,” he added. (AGENCIES)