Kolkata Knight Riders bowler Sunil Narine with team mentor Gautam Gambhir during a training session ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 cricket tournament, at Eden Gardens, in Kolkata, Sunday, March 17, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Promising to make Kolkata happy this season, Kolkata Knight Riders mentor Gautam Gambhir said the team had made him a successful leader.
On his return to the franchise, Gambhir, the two-time Indian Premier League-winning captain of the side, said, “I didnt not make KKR successful, KKR made me a successful leader. KKR meant passion, honesty, sacrifice and it meant selflessness,” said Gambhir at the ‘Knights Unplugged’ event here on Monday.
“Dre Russ taught me a lot of things about passion. When I talk about sacrifice, this young shy boy, he has gone through so much — reported, banned, coming back and doing the same stuff years after years. I had seen his insecurities, have lived through that. He (Sunil Narine) has gone onto become one of the greatest bowlers in IPL history.
“The greatest teammate, most selfless human being, someone I can take bullet for. Ryan ten doeschate taught me selflessness. When the foundation was based on such strong individuals, KKR can never go wrong.”
Coming to the upcoming season, Gambhir said, “He (Shah Rukh Khan) told me the same thing that he had told me when I joined in 2011. ‘This is your franchise, make it or break it.’ I can assure that whenever I leave this place we will be in a much better place.”
Captain Shreyas Iyer said, “I feel honoured and privileged to be working around them (Gambhir and coach Chandrakant Pandit). Feel lucky to be having such players playing under me.“
Pandit, who said the side led by Nitish Rana did well despite the constraints last season, sounded confident about the team composition this season.
“The balance that we have in our team, not only individuals but the support staff, (is important).
KKR launched its app, Knight Club Plus, and its team jersey ahead of the 2024 season of the Indian Premier League.
The franchise presented 19 of its players, including Shreyas, vice-captain Nitish, costliest buy Mitchell Starc, comeback man Manish Pandey, and match winners Andre Russell and Rinku Singh at the event.