IPL 2020: Gautam Gambhir says Virat Kohli must be held accountable after another failed campaign for Bangalore

Former India opener says any other captain would have been shown the door after eight unsuccessful seasons

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir said Virat Kohli should not remain captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore after yet another unsuccessful campaign and said any other player would have been removed a long time back.

Bangalore crashed out of IPL 2020 after losing the eliminator to Sunrisers Hyderabad by six wickets.

Under Kohli's captaincy that began in 2013, Bangalore have made it to the playoffs three times in eight seasons. Gambhir said it was time for Kohli to take responsibility for the empty trophy cabinet.

"A hundred per cent," Gambhir told ESPNcricinfo when asked if he would change Royal Challengers' captaincy.

“The problem is about accountability. Eight years into the tournament [without a trophy], eight years is a long time. Tell me any other captain…forget about the captain, tell me any other player who would have got eight years and wouldn’t have won the title and still continued. So it has to be accountability. A captain needs to take accountability.

“It’s not only about one year, it’s not only about this. I have nothing against Virat Kohli but somewhere down the line, he needs to put his hand up and say, ‘yes, I am responsible. I am accountable’."

Gambhir gave the example of other Indian players to highlight the leeway Kohli has been given as RCB captain.

"Eight years is a long, long time. Look at what happened to Ravi Ashwin. Two years of captaincy [for Kings XI Punjab], he couldn't deliver and he was removed. We talk about MS Dhoni, we talk about Rohit Sharma ... Dhoni has won three [IPL] titles, Rohit Sharma has won four titles, and that's the reason they've captained for such a long time because they've delivered. I'm sure if Rohit Sharma wouldn't have delivered for eight years, he would have been removed as well. There should not be different yardsticks for different people," Gambhir added in the T20 Time Out show.

“The problem and the accountability starts from the top, not from the management nor the support staff, but from the leader. You’re the leader, you’re the captain. When you get the credit, you should take the criticism as well.”