IPL 2024: Gautam Gambhir's return sparks hope for Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of T20 league

IPL 2024: Kolkata Knight Riders, Gautam Gambhir on his return

Known for being tough and aggressive in nature, Gautam Gambhir played a pivotal role in Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) rise. KKR secured two IPL titles under his leadership in 2012 and 2014.

To the joy of his and KKR fans he has again decided to mentor the Kolkata Knight Riders, which slipped to seventh place in the last two seasons. His comeback is expected to inject a revitalised sense of energy and discipline into the team

KKR has experienced a string of disappointing performances over the past five seasons, with the sole exception being 2021 when they reached the final. They secured fifth place in both 2019 and 2020, and finished seventh in both 2022 and 2023.

Gambhir, whose guidance led Lucknow Super Giants to third place in the last two IPL seasons, is anticipated to bring renewed energy and discipline to the KKR squad. However, all eyes will be on his relationship with head coach Chandrakant Pandit.

Gambhir conveyed his appreciation while addressing attendees at the Knights Unplugged event. He said, "I am a very tough guy to handle and I have to thank SRK… and Venky bhai who is here as well... They have taken a lot of my tantrums, and stubbornness for such a long period of time."

"Kyun ke sach yeh hai ki hum sachchai se ladna jaante hai, hum haarna jaante hai, aur hum jitna bhi jaante hain (Because the truth is that we know how to fight with honesty, we know how to lose, and we know how to win)," he added.

Gambhir recalled his initial days and revealed KKR owner Shah Rukh's message to him. He said, "He only told me the same thing that he had told me when I joined KKR as a player in 2011; 'this is your franchise, make it or break it.' He told me exactly the same thing. I don't know what's going to happen, but I can assure you that whenever I leave this place, we will be in a much better position."

KKR is set to kick off their IPL 2024 journey on March 23, facing Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. In the first leg of the IPL fixtures, they will then take on Royal Challengers Bangalore in Bengaluru on March 29, followed by a match against Delhi Capitals in Visakhapatnam on April 3.