Gambhir felt Kohli did T20 type of captaincy in the second ODI.
Australia thrashed India by 51 runs in the second ODI at SCG on Sunday (November 29) and took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
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Opting to bat first, the hosts piled up a mammoth 389/4 in 50 overs on the back of Steve Smith’s dazzling ton (104 off 64 balls) and stunning half-centuries from David Warner (83), Marnus Labuschagne (70), Glenn Maxwell (63*) and Aaron Finch (60).
It was a listless bowling performance from India as Hardik Pandya (1-24) and Ravindra Jadeja (0-60) were the only two bowlers to concede runs with the economy-rate below 7.
In reply, the visitors could manage 338/9 in 50 overs. Skipper Virat Kohli (89 off 87 balls) and wicketkeeper KL Rahul (76 off 66 balls) were the lone warriors for India during the chase.
After the match, former India opener Gautam Gambhir slammed Kohli for T20 type captaincy, pointing out that he gave only two overs to Jasprit Bumrah with the new ball.
"I can't understand the captaincy to be honest. We kept talking about how important is to take wickets upfront if we have to stop this kind of batting line-up and then you make your premier bowler bowl two overs. Normally, in a One Day game probably there are three spells of 4-3-3 overs. Or probably the maximum is four overs," Gambhir told ESPNCricinfo.
"But if you stop your premier fast bowler just by bowling two overs upfront with the new ball, I can't understand that kind of captaincy. I probably can't even explain that captaincy. It is not T20 cricket. I probably can't understand the reason to be honest because that was poor captaincy," he added.
According to Gambhir, the lack of a sixth bowling option is hurting Team India and he reckons all-rounders like Washington Sundar or Shivam Dube could have been tried.
"They could have given someone like Washington Sundar or Shivam Dube or whoever was there in the squad to play the next game and see how they go into the one-day format. But if you don't have anyone in Australia then it is a selection error as well," Gambhir stated.
"Unless and until you don't judge someone you will never be able to find how good he is at the international level. India has not taken those options to Australia and those might come back to hurt them big time," he further remarked.
Canberra will host the third and final ODI on Wednesday (December 1).