Gautam Gambhir might resign as Lucknow Super Giants mentor soon; KKR in talks to rope him into the coaching unit - Reports
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) mentor Gautam Gambhir could potentially leave his role with the franchise ahead of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. LSG recently transitioned from Andy Flower to Justin Langer as their new head coach and also roped in former India chief selector MSK Prasad as a strategic consultant.
The LSG mentorship role marked the former India opener's first major gig when it comes to coaching. He was roped in by the franchise right at the time of its inception in 2022. His input and strong presence in the squad helped the KL Rahul-led side qualify for the playoffs in both the 2022 and 2023 editions. However, LSG were eliminated before reaching the final both times.
According to a report by Dainik Jagran, all is not well between LSG and Gambhir behind the scenes. As a result, he could be the second departure after Andy Flower in the space of a month.
"After Andy Flower, Gautam Gambhir will now leave the IPL franchise… I can’t say anything further beyond this,” a source told the outlet.
LSG's latest addition to the coaching staff, MSK Prasad, has had issues with Gautam Gambhir in the past.
Following the infamous decision to drop Ambati Rayudu from India's 2019 ODI World Cup squad, Gambhir had criticized the then-chairman Prasad for his 'three-dimensional' player remark in defense of Vijay Shankar's selection.
KKR are in talks with Gautam Gambhir for a potential return
The Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) glory days have come with Gautam Gambhir at the helm. The opening batter scored loads of runs in his prolific stint at the franchise and also led them to two titles in 2012 and 2014.
KKR are now in dire need of direction and inspiration following a bleak set of seasons in recent years. As a result, they are apparently in talks with their former captain to return to the franchise in a coaching capacity in the unit led by Chandrakant Pandit.
Gambhir is currently in the USA ahead of the US Masters T10 League, where he represents the New Jersey Tritons, which also includes his former national and KKR teammate Yusuf Pathan.
Should the former batter consider leaving his role at LSG and rejoining KKR ahead of the 2024 season? Let us know what you think.