"He used to sit on the floor with his head resting on a kit bag" - Salman Butt on KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan
Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad in the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008.
Recalling his stint with the franchise, Butt recently spoke about how KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan would interact with all the players in the dressing room.
Highlighting the humble nature of the celebrated actor, here's what Salman Butt said during an appearance on Nadir Ali's podcast:
"When I went there to play for Kolkata Knight Riders, the fans treated me as a local player. Shah Rukh Khan is very humble. He would often come to our dressing room. He used to sit on the floor with his head resting on a kit bag. He would interact with everyone and was very approachable and easy-going."
Butt also revealed that he signed a three-year deal with the Kolkata-based franchise, which didn't materialize as the Pakistani players were banned from the cash-rich league.
"I was initially offered a contract by the Rajasthan Royals," Butt said. "I was then traded to the Kolkata Knight Riders, where I had signed a three-year deal. However, due to the political tensions between the two countries, the Pakistani players were never allowed to play in the IPL after that."
Salman Butt featured in seven matches in the first-ever season of the IPL and finished with 193 runs at an average of 27.57.
"It is a match that takes you from being unknown to being well-known" - Salman Butt on playing against India
The former Pakistan opener further stated that he relished playing against arch-rivals India. Salman Butt stated that performing well against the Men in Blue makes someone an overnight sensation in Pakistan.
He also pointed out how the Indian fans would go completely silent after a Pakistani batter hit a boundary and vice-versa. Butt added:
"It is a different joy to play in India. There are around one lakh people in the stands. When a Pakistani batter would hit a boundary, there would be a pin-drop silence in the whole stadium. I really enjoyed that. When Pakistan would take a wicket, you would only hear the sound of a single Pakistani fan from the stands. It is a match that takes you from being unknown to being well-known just in a matter of a few hours."
Notably, Salman Butt had an impressive record against India. He amassed 1336 runs from 24 matches across formats at an average of 40.48 against the Indian team.