IPL 2021: Gautam Gambhir criticises Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell for poor shot selection against KKR in the Eliminator

Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir came down hard on Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell for their poor shot selection in the Qualifier 1 against the Kolkata Knight Riders. On Monday, October 11, both Kohli and Maxwell got out to off-spinner Sunil Narine, who picked up four wickets, while trying to play the slog sweep.

Even as RCB skipper Kohli scored a 33-ball 39, top-scoring for the Challengers, the in-form Maxwell slumped to an occasional failure, having got out on 15. Gambhir said that RCB started imploding after Kohli played the “shocking” in the 13th over when the team was going along at a run rate of seven with eight wickets in hand.

He could have targeted Shivam Mavi, says Gautam Gambhir

“Just poor batting. Poor shot selection as well… Someone who was in should have batted till the 16th over. It started with Virat that he got out at the wrong time playing a shocking shot. And then Glenn Maxwell again, when two balls were left in Sunil Narine’s spell, why would you play that shot? He could have targeted Shivam Mavi,” Gambhir was quoted as saying in ESPNcricinfo.

Gambhir, the 2012 and 2014 IPL winning skipper, said that RCB fell short of where they could have ended up going. The veteran was of the opinion that Virat had to bat deep until the death overs and take RCB to a formidable score on a difficult pitch to bat on in Sharjah.

“They should have looked to get 150-155… You need to have a better game plan on who do you want to target and when and what is the situation as well. Virat had to bat till the 16th over and had he got that 60-70, the have could have reached that total…” he added.

On Monday, RCB lost the Eliminator by four wickets and bowed out of the 2021 IPL. It also happened to be Kohli’s last game as the skipper of the franchise, who’s yet to get their hands on the coveted IPL trophy. The Knight Riders, in the meantime, will next play in the Qualifier 2 against Delhi Capitals on Wednesday in Sharjah itself.