The Kolkata Knight Riders lost a great chance to go to the top of the IPL table and confirm their qualification in the recent loss to RCB at the Eden Gardens.
The in-form duo Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers were too good for the bowling unit as the Bangalore franchise managed to take away the victory with 9-wickets in hand.
Skipper Gautam Gambhir dropped his counterpart Virat Kohli during the run chase and has ever since been criticized. But in a recent blog for the Hindustan Times, the former Indian opening batsman revealed what the dropped catch meant to him.
He recollected the incident second by second and explained that he remembered having the ball safely in his hands before it spilled out. He compared his situation with a wardrobe malfunction, something that is embarrassing and cannot be controlled.
“It was easily the turning point of the match. Virat’s dismissal at that stage would have created an opportunity.”
”Moments like these are akin to a wardrobe malfunction on an international red carpet. A simple and controllable thing but goes bust in front of the world,” he wrote.
He also revealed that dropping the catch was something he can never forget and that he has had nightmares about the incident ever since.
Gambir wrote, “Such a big game, a full house at Eden Gardens, a top batsman of the opposition offers a chance and I drop the catch.”
“As a cricketer, you get nightmares of these situations but then you go back to sleep telling yourself that it was only a bad dream. Guess what? I am living that nightmare since Monday night,” he added.
KKR have now lost two of their last three games but the skipper does not seem to be too fazed and wrote about the confidence he has in his team.
“I am not too perturbed as there is enough class in our dressing room,” he wrote.
Gambhir also discussed the decline in popularity of the Indian Premier League this season.
He felt that this season is one of the most interesting editions of the competition and that the quality of cricket has been high.
“I think it is unfolding to be one of the more interesting seasons.”
“There are five teams vying for the remaining three spots in the playoffs. It underlines how well matched the teams are and the quality of cricket on show in this marquee league,” he added.
The Kolkata-based franchise now needs two wins from the remaining two games in the group stage and Gambhir urged his team to find the best within them to give his team the best chance of qualification.
“The next 4-5 days will be high pressure for all of us. It will be about who handles it the best.”
“One thing, though, I am ruthless when it comes to crushing the opposition and having a single-minded focus on winning. Despite that, I will wish that no one drops a sitter the way I did on Monday,” he finished.