India vs Australia: Virat Kohli’s absence is a big opportunity for Ajinkya Rahane, says Gautam Gambhir


India vs Australia: Virat Kohli’s absence is a big opportunity for Ajinkya Rahane, says Gautam Gambhir
Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane
Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane

Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir has said that captain Virat Kohli‘s absence is a big opportunity for stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane to step up in the four-match series against Australia.

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In a team sport, one or two players don’t matter. If one player is coming back so someone else will get the opportunity and it’s a big opportunity for Ajinkya Rahane and I would say that it’s not just the Indian team that was bundled out for 36, there are many teams who have been bowled out for low scores but still there is a lot of cricket to play, three matches are remaining, India can make a comeback,” Gambhir told ANI.

India lost the first Test in disastrous fashion against the home team in Adelaide. The Men in Blue put up a strong show in the first innings but got bowled over for 36/9 in the second innings in what was the team’s lowest score in history.

Gambhir was asked whether he feels any changes should take place in the team for the 2nd Test. “It’s the call of team management but whosoever is given the opportunity it should be given with trust and hope so that it is beneficial in the long term,” he said.

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‘He should have talked with the president rather than going to media’ – Gambhir on Bedi

Gautam Gambhir

BCCI held it’s 89th Annual General Meeting on Thursday. Important decisions including the inclusion of two new teams in IPL 2020 and the resumption of domestic cricket were taken.

This year is a different scenario. The way BCCI held the IPL is really appreciable and in domestic cricket, if you are organising only white-ball cricket I think it’s a good decision because precautions are very important, we are still fighting with coronavirus,” Gautam Gambhir said about the same.

On Wednesday, former India skipper and spin-bowling legend Bishan Singh Bedi said that he no longer wishes to see his name in the stands of Ferozshah Kotla stadium in Delhi. Speaking to ANI, Bedi said that he had always believed in standing by what is right, and at the current point in time he had come to understand that getting his name removed from the stands at Kotla was the right thing to do. In his letter to DDCA he pointed out how the association has been poorly managed. He further stated that he believed there was no place for him or his legacy at the Kotla anymore.

Despite writing the letter he should have talked with the president rather than going to media,” Gambhir said when asked about Bedi’s stand.

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