3 KKR players who can be big part of India's plans under Gautam Gambhir ft. Shreyas Iyer
A new era under head coach Gautam Gambhir is all set to begin in Indian cricket. A fierce cricketer and a masterful tactician, Gambhir will commence his stint with the Sri Lanka series where the Men in Blue will play three T20Is and as many ODI games.
Gambhir joins the Indian team after a successful stint with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 2024. Under his mentorship, the Knight Riders lifted their third IPL trophy, their first in a decade. Notably, the franchise won their first two IPL titles under the leadership of Gambhir.
New coaches bring new theories alongside themselves, and so will Gambhir. He will look to implement his set of ideas, as he aims to take Indian cricket forward.
On that note, let's take a look at three KKR players who can be a big part of India's plans under Gautam Gambhir.
#1 Varun Chakravarthy
The mystery spinner from Tamil Nadu gained popularity after a stellar campaign in IPL 2024, where he picked up 17 wickets in 13 matches at an economy rate of 6.84. He followed it with an 18-wicket campaign the next year.
Owing to his stellar performances in the IPL, Varun Chakravarthy was drafted into the Indian side. However, he couldn't find his feet at the international level and was eventually left out of the side after failing to meet the fitness standards.
Chakravarthy witnessed a slump in form in the last few seasons before regaining form this year after Gautam Gambhir's arrival. The off-spinner picked up 21 wickets this year and played a key part in KKR lifting the title.
With Gambhir at the helm of the side, there is a good chance that Varun Chakravarthy might revive his international career once again.
#2 Harshit Rana
The young fast bowler grabbed a lot of eyeballs in this year's IPL. A real wicket-taker, Harshit Rana's change-of-pace deliveries are a real threat to any batter. The right-arm pacer played a significant role in KKR's title-winning campaign this year, picking up 19 wickets in 11 games at an average of just over 20.
Following his exceptional showing in IPL 2024, many expected Rana to be part of India's squad for the Zimbabwe series. However, due to a plethora of options, the selectors didn't consider Rana's name.
But with Gambhir in charge of the Indian team, things might change for the young pacer. He can form a deadly combination with Jasprit Bumrah, with both known for their death over antics.
#3 Shreyas Iyer
While this could be surprising for many, KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer could revive his international career with Gautam Gambhir at the helm. This is considering that Iyer has fallen down the pecking order after losing his central contract this season.
Iyer had a fruitful IPL 2024 campaign, leading the team from the front with the bat. The right-handed batter aggregated 351 runs in 15 matches at an average of 39 and a strike rate of over 146.
Owing to his recent form, Gambhir can bring back Iyer into the ODI fold, which can revive his international career again.