Virat Kohli is master as a batsman, but as captain he is an apprentice, says Gautam Gambhir

Virat Kohli is having the worst run of his career as a captain right now as Royal Challengers Bangalore are yet to register a single win in the 2019 Indian Premier League. More than the performances that range from frustrating to disappointing, Kohli’s captaincy has left a lot to be desired, simply because of the fact that he fails to control the important phases of life when things get tough and stands at deep hopelessly. Gambhir is critical of the team’s strategy and called Virat Kohli an apprentice as a captain.

"Bangalore, however, didn't help their cause. I would start with last year's auction where they messed up. Why did they go for Marcus Stoinis and Nathan Coulter-Nile if they knew these players were not available from the start? At a small venue like Chinnaswamy, where the wicket is flat, I would have gone with an out-and-out fast bowler. While Virat Kohli the batsman is an absolute master, Virat Kohli the captain is an apprentice. 

“He has loads to learn. Rather than blaming the bowlers, he should take the blame on himself. For example, instead of getting Stoinis to bowl the remainder of Siraj's over, he should have gone with left-arm spinner Pawan Negi on a pitch where the ball was gripping. It is a no-brainer that Russell likes pace on the ball," Gambhir wrote in his column for Times of India.

If one player has been able to single-handedly spearhead any team in this IPL, it has to be Andre Russell, whose brute force has made almost all the team his bunny. Three out of his four explosive innings resulted in changing the game in KKR’s direction, and Gambhir, who was at the helm of KKR when Russell joined the franchise, stated that it was a classic case of a simple punt paying off.

"A lot of people ask me how KKR discovered Andre Russell. Was it modern-day cricket analytics? Was it a genius head-hunter who recommended him? Or was it a masterstroke at the auction table? Being a former KKR captain I can tell you that it was none of the above. It was a classic case of not finding a table at the best Italian restaurant in your city and ending up at a lesser known joint.

"Let me explain. In 2013-14 we were searching for a backup for the great Jacques Kallis. One of the very few options available was Russell. Till then he had played two seasons for Delhi. With 58 runs in seven games, Russell was the lesser-known Italian joint waving at the customers passing by. They would stop, look, ponder, and move on. KKR booked a table purely as there was no choice. And the Rs 60 lakh price tag for Russell didn't hurt at all."