Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) mentor Gautam Gambhir has said that he sees no issues with Deepak Hooda and Krunal Pandya playing together for the same team during the Indian Premier League (IPL). Notably, LSG bought both of them at the mega-auction in Bengaluru last month. And, his comments came as the duo were involved in a major controversy in domestic cricket as last year, Hooda accused Baroda captain Krunal of bullying him and later quit the team too as well.
In an interview with PTI, Gambhir shared that players don’t need to be best friends in IPL team. Elaborating on the Hooda-Pandya situation, he said: “Look, you don’t have to be best friends off the field to perform on it. They are professionals and they know that they have a job to do. You don’t have to go out for dinner every night if you are playing in the same team. I have not been friends with everyone in every team that I have played in. But that hasn’t stopped me from giving my best when I am out there on the field. These are matured people and they know there are here to win matches for Lucknow.”
While Hooda earlier played for the Punjab Kings (PBKS), Krunal was released by the Mumbai Indians (MI) ahead of the mega auction. Apart from Krunal and Hooda, LSG also bought West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder at the auction.
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Gautam Gambhir explained: “When we were preparing the strategy for our team, we wanted more all-rounders and we got our chairman Dr. Sanjiv Goenka’s approval. It always helps to have multi-dimensional cricketers as they give you more options. It’s always good to have batters, who can chip in with two or three overs.”
LSG have been faced a big blow before the IPL 2022 starts as England fast bowler Mark Wood has been ruled out due to injury. But according to the team’s mentor, it is an opportunity for someone else to step up in the team as well. Notably, LSG will begin their IPL 2022 campaign when they take on Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 28 as well.
Gambhir elaborated: “I wouldn’t say I am worried, but yes obviously, it’s a setback as you don’t have too many bowlers who bowl at that speed like Mark. But that also gives an opportunity to someone like Dushmantha Chameera or anyone who gets a chance to prove themselves.”
He has also opined on the fact that he wants KL Rahul to be a batter who leads and not a captain who also bats as well. However, he was appointed the captain of the Lucknow franchise after being picked from the draft list before the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 auction. He had earlier led the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the T20 league as well.
He said: “Ultimately, it is the leader who is the flag-bearer of a team and so it’s Rahul who will lead Lucknow Super Giants on and off the field. For me, it is important to have KL Rahul the batter, who is also the captain of the team rather than KL Rahul, the captain, who also bats. I hope I am able to make you understand the difference.”
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Gautam Gambhir again said: “Any captain should learn to take risks. I would want Rahul to take risks and unless you take calculated risks, you won’t know if you would succeed or not. Also this time, Quinton de Kock will be our wicketkeeper, so with no keeping duties, he can be free and relaxed, concentrating on his batting and leadership.”
“Know one thing. There is a difference between being talked up as a future India captain and ultimately being appointed India captain. I have never believed that you should play IPL looking at the national team. IPL is a platform to express one’s self. One can grow as a leader but there are no guarantees that there is a time period that IPL will help you become India captain,” Gautam Gambhir concluded.
