Social media erupted with wishes and congratulatory messages as Gautam Gambhir announced his return to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) franchise.
On Wednesday morning, former KKR captain Gautam Gambhir confirmed his comeback to KKR after six years, now in the role of a mentor.
Gautam Gambhir spent 7 seasons from 2011 to 2017 at KKR. Both of KKR’s title wins, in 2012 and 2014, came under Gambhir’s leadership. Since then, KKR reached the IPL final only once, in 2021, under Eoin Morgan, but lost it to MS Dhoni’s CSK.
Gambhir was the mentor of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) franchise in the last two IPL seasons. The KL Rahul-led side reached the playoffs in both seasons, but couldn’t reach the final.
This decision from Gautam Gambhir to leave LSG and return to KKR has reportedly been taken after LSG sacked Andy Flower and replaced him with Australian Justin Langer as their head coach.
“I am not an emotional person and not many things move me. But this is different,” Gautam Gambhir said in a statement. “This is back to where it all started. Today, there is a lump in my throat and fire in my heart as I think about slipping into that purple and gold jersey once again. I am not only coming back to KKR but I am coming back to the city of joy. I am back. I am hungry. I am number 23. Ami [I am] KKR.”
Gambhir played crucial roles for India in their T20 World Cup 2007 final vs Pakistan and 2011 World Cup final vs Sri Lanka, being the top-scorer for India in both those finals.
He captained KKR to five playoffs and also to the final of the now-defunct Champions League T20 tournament in 2014.
KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan welcomed Gambhir with a message: “Gautam has always been part of the family and this is our captain coming back home in a different avatar as a ‘Mentor’. He was sorely missed and now we all look forward to Chandu [Chandrakant Pandit] Sir and Gautam in instilling the never-say-die spirit and of sportsmanship they stand for, in creating magic with Team KKR.”
The KKR have retained their support staff of head coach Chandrakant Pandit, Abhishek Nayar (assistant coach), James Foster (assistant coach), Bharat Arun (bowling coach) and Ryan ten Doeschate (fielding coach).
KKR finished 7th in IPL 2023, where Shreyas Iyer didn’t play due to injury and they were led by Nitish Rana.
Fans erupted with joy on Twitter after Gautam Gambhir announced his comeback to KKR as mentor:
