After stepping down as the skipper of Delhi Daredevils franchise, Gautam Gambhir has now announced that he will play for Delhi for free in the on-going season of Indian Premier League.
It is possibly the first time that a player has decided to forego his salary because of non-performance.
Gambhir resigned from captaincy after Delhi Daredevils lost five of their six games with the skipper managing just 85 runs as an opener.
“Gautam has decided that he won’t take any salary from the franchise for the season. He will play remaining part of IPL for the Delhi Daredevils for free,” a source privy to the development told PTI on the condition of anonymity.
“Gautam is someone who puts pride above everything else. He has been a proud performer. He doesn’t want to take any money and it’s a very personal call. In fact, he wanted to quit just after the KXIP game,” the source added.
While he is still available for the season as a player, he will take a call on his future only after the IPL gets over.
“I don’t know, it’s too early for me to decide on that. Let me sit down and decide. I have to think where my game goes and I go as an individual,” Gambhir said during a media interaction.
Earlier on Wednesday, Gambhir had handed over Delhi’s captaincy to young batsman Shreyas Iyer and took the full responsibility for team’s performance.
“I take full responsibility for the position we are in. And looking at the position, I have decided to step down as captain. Shreyas Iyer will take over. I still feel we have the team to turn things around this IPL,” he said.
“Absolutely my decision. I was the one who initiated the meeting (with the team owners). I thought that I haven’t contributed enough and at the same time, the performance of the team… I had to take the responsibility being the leader of the ship. So, I feel that it was the right time,” Gambhir said.
Gambhir had also said that Delhi was still in the competition.
“We’re very much in this competition. It was absolutely my decision, no pressure from the franchise, they’ve been absolutely sportive about it, sometimes when your conscience says it’s the right time, you just take that (call),” added Gambhir.
-With PTI inputs.