Gautam Gambhir feels Australian Cricket should thank IPL for discovering David Warner's captaincy skills

Kolkata Knight Riders captain Gautam Gambhir said that Australian Cricket should thank the IPL for discovering his Sunrisers Hyderabad counterpart David Warner's captaincy skills. The southpaw played a skipper's knock and led his side to victory against Royal Challengers Bangalore during the final of the IPL on Sunday.

The former Indian opener lauded Warner for his on-field temperament. "A lot is being said about David Warner’s captaincy and his aggressive batting style. His run-charts are exemplary but as a rival leader, what I like about him is calmness.

"Each six or a four hit by Gayle and Virat must have felt like a stab, but he was calm. I think there is a lot to learn here as sometimes your teammate may just need your empathy rather than a tactical advice. It is only apt to repeat here that Australian cricket should thank IPL as it has helped discover Warner the leader of men," he wrote in his column for Hindustan Times.

He said he was surprised when SRH chose to bat first after winning the toss. "I thought they were playing into RCB’s hands on a small Bangalore ground where most scores are chased. But in the end, I think the scoreboard pressure combined with Hyderabad’s potent bowling attack got them the title," adding that the bowlers are always the match-winners, regardless of the format.

Warner was at his best this season, amassing 848 runs in 17 games, and his knocks came to the team's rescue on several occasions. KKR, after finishing fourth in the table at the end of the group stage, lost to SRH in the playoffs and were eliminated from the tournament.

Gambhir also appreciated SRH's mentor and former Test teammate VVS Laxman’s ability to stay optimistic even in a tough situation. He also recalled the time when the veteran was excluded from the 2003 World Cup and added that Laxman was one of the cricketers who has played over hundred Test matches for the country but has not represented in a single World Cup.

"In one of his (Laxman’s) interviews, he had described his omission from the 2003 World Cup squad as the “lowest point” of his life. No amount of IPL wins can substitute for a World Cup victory for your country, but then Laxman bhai now has two major title wins to cherish," he said.

Gambhir also highlighted Virat Kohli's dismissal in the final was the turning point of the game and he also went on to praise the RCB skipper for his exceptional skills, adding that RCB should be proud of their performance.