“I get where they’re coming from” - When Gautam Gambhir opened up on KKR not retaining him ahead of IPL 2018
In 2017, Gautam Gambhir expressed his thoughts about the Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) decision not to retain him ahead of the auction for IPL 2018. Gambhir understood the reason and accepted it, entering into the auction pool for the third time in his IPL career.
Gambhir was released by the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) after IPL 2010. The Delhi batter's services were heavily bid for, with KKR managing to acquire him for $2.4 million (₹11.67 crores) in 2011. He was appointed as the skipper and led them to their maiden title in 2012 and again in 2014. To date, Gambhir is one of the most successful skippers for the franchise, winning two IPL trophies.
Ahead of the 2018 IPL mega auction, Gautam Gambhir was released by the franchise. Gambhir understood the franchise's decision and said (via ESPNcricinfo):
"I get where they are coming from. Above all, the communication between the KKR management and myself has been superb. We spoke in a very cordial atmosphere and I respect their call."
Gambhir also spoke about age not being on his side.
"I wouldn't have been playing the format if I was not convinced about my abilities," he said. "I am feeling strong physically. Fitness and motivation have never been a challenge. When I turned 30 I promised myself that I needed to up the ante fitness-wise as the game was changing, I was moving on and there is that thing called self-pride which you never want to dent."
"So, I do extensive gym training with my personal trainers, cross country in the ridge area behind my house in Delhi, yoga, kickboxing and also play badminton to stay in shape," he added.
Gautam Gambhir was acquired by the Delhi Capitals in the 2018 IPL auction. He was appointed as the skipper of the franchise but would step down after the Capitals underperformed in the first half of the season, handing the reins over to Shreyas Iyer.
Gautam Gambhir won IPL 2024 with KKR as their mentor
Gambhir and KKR re-united in 2024, with the former team India opener leaving the role of mentor at the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). With Shreyas Iyer at the helm, KKR beat the SunRisers Hyderabad in the summit clash by eight wickets and won their third championship.
Gautam Gambhir joined Team India as the head coach after Rahul Dravid stepped down in June 2024 (after India won the T20 World Cup). While results in the longer formats haven't been impressive under Gambhir, the T20I side has seen a steady rise, registering 10 wins in 11 games.