IPL Retention 2018: Kolkata Knight Riders release Gautam Gambhir

Mahendra Singh Dhoni was back at his 'spiritual home' Chennai Super Kings while Royal Challengers Bengaluru retained India captain Virat Kohli during the much- publicised yet predictable Indian Premier League retentions.

New Delhi: Mahendra Singh Dhoni was back at his 'spiritual home' Chennai Super Kings while Royal Challengers Bengaluru retained India captain Virat Kohli during the much- publicised yet predictable Indian Premier League retentions.

However, the biggest surprise of the evening came in the form of Gautam Gambhir, who was sent into the auction pool despite guiding the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to lifting the silverware twice (2012 and 2014).

The Shah Rukh Khan-co-owned franchise retained the West Indian duo of Sunil Narine (Rs 8.5 crore) and Andre Russell (Rs 7 crore).

Gambhir was snapped up by the Kolkata Knight Riders during the 2011 IPL Auction and was their main man for 7 long years.