'Virat Kohli have..': Gambhir gives blunt take on whether captaincy affects performance of a player

The additional strain of being captain doesn't seem to have much of an effect on a player's ability to bat or bowl, according to former India opener Gautam Gambhir. He emphasized that while leading the national team, players like MS Dhoni, Sourav Ganguly, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Anil Kumble were able to make a major contribution. 

3 things you need to know

• Gautam Gambhir gives his take on whether captaincy affects the performance of a player
• Gambhir briefly captained Team India
• Gambhir took KKR to two IPL titles during his tenure as the captain of the franchise

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Gautam Gambhir does not believe that captaincy affects performance

During a chat with Sportskeeda, Gautam Gambhir addressed the age-old wondering about whether captaincy affects the game of a player. Gambhir vehemently denied the influence of the former on the latter, and to provide matter to his words he gave the analogy of MS Dhoni, Sourav Ganguly, and Anil Kumble, who were stupendous with their play while being remarkable captains.

"I don't think being a captain affects a batter's game. There have been many captains who have given great performances while being captains. It's about the individual mindset. MS Dhoni, Sourav Ganguly, and Anil Kumble have performed well. Similarly, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have done it too."

It is important to note that Gautam Gambhir had a fantastic run throughout his brief time serving as the captain of Team India. In 2010, the southpaw was selected as India's captain for a five-game home ODI series against New Zealand. India completed a spectacular 5-0 rout of the visitors under Gambhir's leadership. In addition, he received the Player of the Series award after scoring 329 runs in five games.

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Gambhir on how to perform both responsibilities effectively

To elaborate more on the subject, the 42-year-old stated that a player should only consider taking on the captaincy role once he or she has done their part with the bat or the ball.

"When a captain steps out to bat, his primary job is to score runs. You are selected in the team as a batter or a bowler; captaincy is an additional responsibility given to you. While batting, if you're going to think that I am the captain, the ball or the bat doesn't know that you are the captain. You are a batter when you have the bat in your hand and a bowler when you have the ball. You become the captain when you get out or complete your over."

In the Indian Premier League (IPL), Gambhir demonstrated his leadership skills by leading the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to two titles during his successful tenure. For the IPL 2024, he will rejoin the team as a mentor.