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Updated July 15th, 2021 at 12:40 IST

Dinesh Karthik reveals chat with 'hesitant' Eoin Morgan after stepping down as KKR captain

Eoin Morgan, according to Karthik, was initially hesitant to accept the captaincy role because he simply wanted to enjoy his time in the IPL.

Reported by: Vishal Tiwari
Dinesh Karthik, KKR, Morgan, Eoin Morgan, IPL 2021, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders, England captain, T20 World Cup, ICC, BCCI
(Image Credit: IPL) | Image:self
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Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Dinesh Karthik has revealed the reason behind his decision to give up the captaincy role and detailed his chat with his successor Eoin Morgan. Karthik, who was appointed the captain of KKR following Gautam Gambhir's exit in 2018, stepped down in the middle of the season in 2020, and Eoin Morgan was picked as his replacement. Karthik has stated that no one at the KKR compelled him to give up the captaincy role and that it was his personal decision. Karthik, while speaking to Gaurav Kapur in his podcast '22 Yarns with Gaurav Kapur', said he relinquished the top position due to some personal issue, adding " A lot of credit should go to KKR for handling it very well". 

'Morgan agreed after listening to my personal problem'

Eoin Morgan, according to Karthik, was initially hesitant to accept the captaincy role because he simply wanted to enjoy his time in the IPL. When Karthik told Morgan about his personal troubles, he agreed to take over as captain in the middle of the season. Karthik said when he first spoke to Morgan about his decision, the England captain was shocked because KKR was doing well at the time and was at number 4 on the points table. However, when Karthik talked to him about what was happening personally, Morgan agreed to take up the job. Karthik said everyone at the KKR, including their CEO Venky Mysore, handled the situation extremely well. 

"We were aware of it. I think a lot of credit should be given to KKR because they handled it very well. They understood my situation. I was the problem, nobody else. From the moment, I'm not very sure, then they're like 'fine, there's Morgan'. He (Morgan) actually was very reluctant. For him, he's captaining England, such a high-pressure thing. He wants to come and play the IPL and enjoy it. And he was thoroughly enjoying it up to the point. He was vice-captain so basically, it's about helping me," Karthik said. 

"But when I said this, he said 'no, no'. And we were high on the table too; we had played some seven games and won four. We were No. 4 or 3 on the table. He said 'are you crazy? Why would you do this? I don't understand what you're trying to do.' Then I explained things to him. Personally, what was happening and then it was something that was more about my personal issues that happened rather than it being cricket or the franchise or anything like that. So when the personal issue happened, that was the main reason and then he said, 'Ok, I'll do it.' And it was handled very well by KKR… Venky Mysore," Karthik added.

After Morgan was appointed captain, KKR still had 7 games left before it could qualify for the playoffs. KKR lost 4 out of those seven games and failed to finish inside top-4 for the second year in a row. Mogan assumed his captaincy duty in the 2021 edition of the IPL as well. Karthik now plays as the side's regular wicketkeeper-batsman. Morgan's return for the remainder of IPL 2021 is currently under the cloud as the England Cricket Board (ECB) wants its key players to get some rest before the much-anticipated T20 World Cup, which will be played right after the conclusion of the IPL in the UAE. 

(Image Credit: IPL)
 

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Published July 15th, 2021 at 12:40 IST

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