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As the excitement for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 continues to build, Gautam Gambhir, former cricketer and current mentor of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), has injected a new level of intensity into the anticipation surrounding the league. Having previously mentored the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Gambhir’s return to KKR has stirred the cricketing community, especially after his unexpected exit from politics to fully commit himself to the cricketing world.
Gautam Gambhir’s transition and commitment to KKR
Gambhir’s decision to step down from his political responsibilities was driven by his unwavering dedication to cricketing commitments with KKR. The move showcased the Delhi-born cricketer’s determination to invest his complete time and efforts into guiding and nurturing the talented players of the KKR camp.
Serious cricket, not Bollywood glamour: Gambhir’s bold warning
In a recent statement on Star Sports, Gambhir left no room for confusion about his perspective on the IPL. He emphasized that for him, the IPL is all about serious cricket and not about the glitz and glamour associated with Bollywood or post-match parties.
According to Gambhir, the league is the toughest in the world because it demands a focus on competitive cricket. He highlighted that the IPL is, in fact, the closest to international cricket compared to any other T20 league globally and sent a clear message to the KKR players ahead of IPL 2024.
“I made it very clear on Day 1 that IPL, for me, is serious cricket. It’s not about Bollywood, it’s not about you, it’s not about after party and stuff. It’s about going out there and playing competitive cricket and that’s the reason why I feel is the toughest league in the world because it is proper cricket,” said Gambhir.
“It is probably closest to international cricket as compared to any other league and if you want to be known as a successful franchise, you should be able to deliver on the cricket field,” he added
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A special bond and responsibility towards fans: Gambhir’s emotional take
Expressing his admiration for the passionate KKR fanbase, Gambhir further acknowledged the responsibility of bringing joy to their faces. He believes that the loyalty of Kolkata fans, who have weathered the challenges faced by the team in the early years of the IPL, deserves honesty and success on the field.
“I think there are very passionate fans. We need to be honest to them. We need to try and probably bring that happiness on their smiles because I’ve always believed I think the most loyal fans have been fans from Kolkata because they’ve gone through a lot in the first three years of the IPL,” the veteran cricketer exclaimed.
