IPL 2024: Neither Chris Gayle, nor AB de Villiers: Gautam Gambhir reveals name of batter he feared most
Former Kolkata Knight Riders captain Gautam Gambhir has revealed the name of the batter whom he feared the most during his playing days in the Indian Premier League.
Gambhir, who won the IPL twice with Kolkata Knight Riders has said that he did not fear IPL stalwarts Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers, who were lethal on most days.
In an interview with Star Sports ahead of the 2024 season of the Indian Premier League, Gambhir has revealed that it was Rohit Sharma that he was worried about most of the time.
“The only player who’s given me sleepless nights. Not Chris Gayle, not AB de Villiers, only Rohit Sharma has given me sleepless nights in the IPL. With Rohit, I knew that I had to have Plan A, Plan B, and probably Plan C as well because if Rohit is in, I don’t think anyone can control him,” Gambhir said in a Star Sports video.
Gambhir said that Rohit was the only player for whom he made Plan A,B and C and hoped at least one of them would work out. To Sharma’s credit, he guided Mumbai Indians to 5 IPL titles, a record that was much by MS Dhoni in 2023.
“The only batsman I have feared in IPL is Rohit Sharma. I have never planned for any other batter except for Rohit Sharma. There have been times when I’ve seen the visuals, where I said fair enough, plan A is fine. But with Rohit Sharma, probably one night before, I used to think if this doesn’t work, I have to get this.
If this doesn’t work, I have to get the other plan. If Sunil bowls his four overs, who is going to bowl the next 16? And if I finish off Sunil early and if Rohit is there, he can hit 30 off one over as well. Rohit is the only batter I was scared of as an IPL captain,” Gambhir heaped praise on Rohit Sharma’s ability.
The India captain has had a quiet few years in the IPL but is expected to do well after being released from the burden of captaincy in Mumbai Indians. Sharma is the fourth highest run-scorer in the history of the Indian Premier League with 6211 runs to his name. Sharma is narrowly behind David Warner and has the chance to climb up to the third spot if he is able to have a good season.
The India captain recently hit a T20I century against Afghanistan and will be captaining the Indian team in the T20 World Cup 2024. Last time in the World Cup, Sharma’s team had faltered in the semi-final against eventual champions England.