Kolkata Knight Riders' stand-in captain, Nitish Rana, expressed his joy at Gautam Gambhir's return to the franchise as their mentor for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season. Rana, recognized for his leadership in Shreyas Iyer's absence last year, hailed Gambhir as his childhood hero, emphasising the dreamlike experience of partnering with the former captain. Gambhir will collaborate closely with head coach Chandrakant Pandit.
Gautam Gambhir bade farewell to Lucknow Super Giants on Wednesday, concluding a two-year stint with the KL Rahul-led team. His tenure alongside head coach Andy Flower saw Lucknow reaching the playoffs in both seasons. Expected to play a pivotal role in IPL 2024 for KKR, Nitish Rana expressed eagerness to absorb insights from one of IPL's most influential captains.
"As a kid watching cricket, I never imagined I'd one day share the field and wear the same colors as my idol, @GautamGambhir bhai. Now, having him as our mentor at @KKRiders is nothing short of a dream. His leadership led to glory, and I can't wait to learn and grow under his guidance. Here's to the beginning of an incredible journey!" Nitish Rana conveyed this in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
KKR's co-owner, Shah Rukh Khan, also welcomed Gambhir back, noting his return in a 'different avatar.' Gambhir shared his excitement with an emotional statement, posting a picture of himself in the KKR jersey on social media.
"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 Sir (Chandrakant Pandit) and Gautam in instilling the never-say-die spirit and sportsmanship they stand for, in creating magic with Team KKR," Shah Rukh Khan said.
Under Gambhir's leadership in 2012, KKR secured their maiden IPL title, a monumental victory for a team that had struggled initially in the tournament's early seasons.