Hyderabad: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner Shah Rukh Khan believed that it was a big homecoming for the franchise’s former skipper Gautam Gambhir to return to the team and guide them to their Indian Premier League (IPL) title, this time as a mentor. Shah Rukh Khan, along with experts Aakash Chopra, Robin Uthappa, and Manvinder Bisla, also shared insights on the KKR’s stunning IPL 2024 triumph.
Gambhir, who joined KKR in 2012 as a captain, replacing legendary India skipper Sourav Ganguly, led the side to two IPL trophies in 2012 and 2014. Then, KKR managed to reach the final only once and struggled in most of the seasons. However, Kolkata then appointed Gambhir as a mentor, and he guided the side to their third IPL title under the leadership of prolific batter Shreyas Iyer.
“I never thought Gautam Gambhir left us. There has always been a lovely relationship with Gautam over the years. There are a few players with whom friendships remain strong, and Gautam Gambhir is one of them. For him, it was a big homecoming,” said Shah Rukh on Gambhir’s return to KKR as a coach and mentor in 2024 at the latest series on JioHotstar called ‘Power Play.’
Last year, KKR posted an old video on their social media handle featuring their co-owner Shah Rukh Khan saying, “GG Don’t Feel Bad, It’s God’s plan for today” to mentor Gautam Gambhir after their side’s defeat against Punjab Kings in the historic game at Eden Gardens.
“GG, you don’t feel bad. We all will be bouncing back and doing better. It’s God’s plan, as Rinku says. We’ll be back with more and better God’s plan,” Said Shah Rukh Khan in the video.
KKR now is the third most successful franchise of IPL after Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who have won five.
