India quick S Sreesanth has called for the removal of Dinesh Karthik as Kolkata Knight Riders captain, mocking the current skipper by saying that the team needs a “true leader” like Eoin Morgan or Shubman Gill to lead the side.

On a Twitter post, Sreesanth said that the team would be better led by a World Cup winning captain and “surly [surely] not DK [Dinesh Karthik]”.

“Genuinely feel @Eoin16 [Eoin Morgan] should lead the side, (surly not*dk kolaimandaaaiii [suggestive word for fool), World Cup winning captain should surly lead ipl side.I hope #kkr looks at this issue.nd win ✌🏻they need a leader who will lead from front like Rohit, Dhoni or Virat..what a player #ipl #kkr #cricket.”

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Genuinely feel @Eoin16 should lead the side,(surly not*dk kolaimandaaaiii🐙
)World Cup winning captain should surly lead ipl side.I hope #kkr looks at this issue.nd win ✌🏻they need a leader who will lead from front like Rohit ,Dhoni or Virat..what a player #ipl #kkr #cricket

— Sreesanth (@sreesanth36) October 3, 2020

Karthik has come under immense scrutiny for his captaincy, especially after Kolkata’s loss to Delhi Capitals in Sharjah, a popular opinion being that his teammate Eoin Morgan, who led England to their first-ever 50-over World Cup title last year, should be asked to lead the side.

In a reply to the original tweet, he said that giving preference to an Indian player is okay if the player is a “true leader”, saying that even 21-year-old Shubman Gill is a better candidate to lead the side than the existing captain.

Giving preference is ok ..if the leader is a true leader if not ..the best in the side🦅the World Cup winner ..it’s a team .with no boundaries of cast ,nationality or anything. Even @subhamgill is a true leader too.he can lead ..very matured shoulders 🙏🏻✌🏻🇮🇳

— Sreesanth (@sreesanth36) October 3, 2020

“Giving preference is ok ..if the leader is a true leader if not ..the best in the side … the World Cup winner ..it’s a team .with no boundaries of cast ,nationality or anything. Even @subhamgill is a true leader too.he can lead ..very matured shoulders”

Sreesanth, who was banned for spot-fixing in 2013, once reportedly claimed that Karthik was responsible for his ouster from the Indian team. Last year, Karthik said that it would be “silly” to be even react to such an allegation.

“Yes, I have heard about (former India seamer) S. Sreesanth’s comments that I was responsible his ouster from the Indian team. Even to react to an allegation like that will be silly.”