KKR's playing XI from Gautam Gambhir's last game - Where are they now?
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have roped in their former skipper Gautam Gambhir as the mentor for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The decision came after Gambhir stepped down from his same role at the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Wednesday.
Gambhir spent a glorious seven years with KKR and led them to two IPL titles in 2012 and 2014. His last game for the franchise came against the Mumbai Indians (MI) in IPL 2017.
During his tenure, he imbibed an aggressive culture, similar to what Virat Kohli did with the Indian team.
It has been more than six years since Gambhir last played for the Knight Riders, but fans still love him for what he has given to KKR.
As he embarks on a new journey with the Kolkata Knight Riders, we look at what his teammates from Gautam Gambhir's last IPL game in KKR shirts in 2017 are up to.
Openers - Sunil Narine and Chris Lynn
West Indies spinner Sunil Narine has been an integral part of the KKR set-up over the years. Often used as a pinch-hitter at the top, Narine continues to remain one of the key players for the franchise.
Narine had a below-par campaign last year, picking up 11 wickets in 14 games at an economy rate of 7.98.
Meanwhile, Chris Lynn didn't really fire with the bat during his stint with the KKR. The hard-hitting Australia batter also failed to deliver the goods in international cricket, managing only 18 caps in ODIs and T20Is combined.
Lynn was last seen plying trade for the Jaffna Kings in the Lanka Premier League earlier this year.
Middle order - Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa, Ishank Jaggi, and Suryakumar Yadav
Gautam Gambhir shifted base to Delhi Capitals after IPL 2017 and announced his retirement after a few games. Post-retirement, Gambhir joined politics and was also seen donning the commentary hat.
A couple of years back, Gambhir was roped in by the Lucknow Super Giants as their mentor. He tendered his resignation earlier on Wednesday and joined Kolkata in a similar capacity.
The former opener is currently seen in action in the ongoing Legends League Cricket.
Robin Uthappa, who enjoyed tremendous success with the KKR, announced his retirement from all forms of cricket last year. He is currently a cricket expert and plays overseas T20 leagues and is currently plying trade in the Legends League Cricket.
Ishank Jaggi arrived at the scene with a lot of potential but failed to live up to the standards. He managed only seven IPL appearances, scoring 76 runs at an average of 15.60. Jaggi announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in 2021.
While most fans identify Suryakumar Yadav with the Mumbai Indians, the devastating batter first announced himself in a KKR shirt. After shifting base to Mumbai, Suryakumar rediscovered his form and is currently the No.1-ranked T20I batter. He was recently seen representing India at the 2023 ODI World Cup.
All-rounder - Colin de Grandhomme
Colin de Grandhomme is one of the most effective all-rounders in world cricket. He was a regular feature for New Zealand last year before announcing his international retirement.
Grandhomme is currently playing in the Legends League Cricket. He also represents Lancashire in England's domestic cricket and also plays in various T20 leagues across the globe.
Bowlers - Piyush Chawla, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Umesh Yadav, and Ankit Rajpoot
Piyush Chawla is arguably one of the finest leg-spinners to represent the Men in Blue and was also part of India's World Cup-winning squad in 2011. He also played a significant role in the Knight Riders winning the IPL trophy in 2014.
Chawla was a standout performer for Mumbai in IPL 2023, scalping 22 wickets from 16 games. He is also often seen appearing as a cricket expert on TV.
Australian all-rounder Nathan Coulter-Nile enjoys an extraordinary record in T20 cricket with 186 scalps from 157 matches. He was last seen in action during the last edition of the Big Bash League (BBL). He recently signed a one-year deal with the Melbourne Stars in the BBL.
Umesh Yadav continues to represent the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. He had a poor season in IPL 2023, managing just one wicket from eight matches. Umesh was later left out of the playing XI.
Ankit Rajpoot is best known for his spectacular spell of 5/14 during a game between the Punjab Kings and the SunRisers Hyderabad in IPL 2018. He last played in the IPL in 2020 and currently represents Uttar Pradesh on the domestic circuit.