Cricketer Gautam Gambhir has stepped down as the captain of Delhi Daredevils IPL team. He’s now been replaced by Shreyas Iyer.
Gambhir blamed his poor form with the bat for the decision to quit captaincy. “It was my decision. I haven’t contributed enough to the team. I had to take the responsibility being the leader of the ship. I feel it was the right time,” he said.
Gambhir could only score 85 runs in 5 innings as the captain in the ongoing IPL competition. He had joined his home team after parting ways with the Kolkata Knight Riders, who he had led to two IPL titles as the skipper.
“Maybe I was too desperate to turn things around and that can backfire. It could be the reason. I just couldn’t handle the pressure and when you don’t do that, you have to own that up as a leader,” Times of India quoted Gambhir.
Social media users have been reacting to his shock announcement.
Gautam Gambhir has taken the fall for his team’s poor show…some of the #DD tactical decisions were questionable but it felt, from the outside, that they weren’t his decisions alone. #IPL
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) April 25, 2018
Gautam Gambhir, as I have said before, was one of the best captains I have ever seen operate in T20 cricket and that includes both league T20s and International T20s. Had got all the qualities you want in a leader. Tactic, attitude, you name it. He had it.
— Abhishek (@Sajjanlaunda) April 25, 2018
Imagine Rohit Sharma being asked to step down or voluntary willing to step down as Captain for his poor show so far! Sounds horrendous doesn’t it?
This is exactly how this move move by Gautam Gambhir/DD sounds to me!?♂️
— Devvrat Unadkat (@DevvratUnadkat) April 25, 2018
Gambhir is the IPL’s fourth-highest run-getter with 4217 from 152 innings. Meanwhile, Delhi Daredevils tweeted from its official Twitter account calling his decision ‘courageous.’ It said, “Dear #DD fans we would like to share @GautamGambhir has chosen to step down as a captain for @DelhiDaredevils a decision taken by him only. We as a franchise salute this courageous call of his, a first in India cricket! A true #dilliwala #Legendary”
Dear #DD fans we would like to share @GautamGambhir has chosen to step down as a captain for @DelhiDaredevils a decision taken by him only. We as a franchise salute this courageous call of his, a first in India cricket! A true #dilliwala #Legendary
— Delhi Daredevils (@DelhiDaredevils) April 25, 2018
