Gambhir Dismisses Momentum as Factor in RCB's IPL Exit

Momentum vs. Performance: Gautam Gambhir's Take on RCB's IPL Exit

Kolkata Knight Riders mentor Gautam Gambhir has dismissed the notion that momentum played a significant role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru's loss to Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2024 Eliminator. Despite RCB's impressive six-game winning streak leading into the playoffs, Gambhir believes that Rajasthan's superior performance on the day was the decisive factor.

"Momentum is a word that we just use too much," Gambhir told Sportskeeda. "What matters is with what intensity you take the field on the day. The team that plays fearlessly and with courage is the one that ends up with the advantage because neither the ball nor the bat knows the momentum."

Gambhir emphasized the importance of mindset and consistency, particularly before crucial knockout games. He believes that players should treat every game with equal importance, maintaining intensity even throughout the league stages.

"You can't just switch on and off," Gambhir said. "You have to be consistent throughout the tournament. You can't just say, 'Oh, we're in the playoffs now, so we're going to play with more intensity.' You have to play with the same intensity from the first game to the last game."

Gambhir also highlighted the competitiveness of the IPL, pointing out that there is very little separating the ten teams in the tournament. He believes that the league's difficulty and parity make it comparable to global tournaments.

"There isn't much difference between the team that finished No.1 and the team that finished No.10," Gambhir said. "If there's a five-match series between the two teams, I won't be surprised if the No.10 team beats the No.1 team comfortably. That's why the IPL is the toughest league in the world and at the level of any T20 World Cup. We all get the same purse and all teams formed are good."

Tags: #IPL2024, #RCB, #RajasthanRoyals, #GautamGambhir, #Momentum