IPL 2024: ‘I am back’ – Gautam Gambhir returns to Kolkata Knight Riders as mentor
Gautam Gambhir will return to Kolkata Knight Riders as a mentor for IPL 2024, announced the KKR franchise today (November 22).
The former India opener, who had been associated with the Lucknow Super Giants as a mentor for the last two seasons of the IPL, announced the end of his journey with LSG through a social media post.
Gambhir thanked everyone involved with the LSG franchise and wished them well for the future.
❤️❤️ LSG Brigade! pic.twitter.com/xfG3YBu6l4
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) November 22, 2023
Around ten minutes after Gambhir announced his departure from LSG, Kolkata Knight Riders posted on X (Twitter) of Gambhir’s “homecoming”.
Gambhir was associated with KKR for seven seasons between 2011-2017 where he led them to two IPL trophies. He will now return to the third most successful franchise in the IPL after CSK and MI in the role of a mentor for IPL 2024, where he will work alongside head coach Chandrakant Pandit.
Welcome home, mentor @GautamGambhir! 🤗
Full story: https://t.co/K9wduztfHg#AmiKKR pic.twitter.com/inOX9HFtTT
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) November 22, 2023
Gambhir has always been open about his love for his time with the Kolkata Knight Riders and said that he is excited and looking forward to the reunion. “I am not an emotional person and not many things move me. But this is different,” Gambhir said.
“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 KKR.”
Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan, who is the owner of the KKR franchise, welcomed Gambhir back to KKR. “Gautam has always been part of the family and this is our Captain coming back home in a different avatar as a ‘Mentor’,” he said.
“He was sorely missed and now we all look forward to Chandu Sir and Gautam in instilling the never-say-die spirit and of sportsmanship they stand for, in creating magic with Team KKR.”
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