"His planning was perfect" - When a former India all-rounder credited Gautam Gambhir for turning KKR into a champion side
Former India batter and current head coach Gautam Gambhir has been a part of all three triumphs Kolkata Knight Riders have experienced in the Indian Premier League. He was the captain when KKR won the titles in 2012 and 2014. Gambhir then returned as mentor to guide the franchise to their third title in the IPL earlier this year.
As captain, the former India opener led KKR in 122 matches, winning 69 and losing 51. One match ended in a tie, while another produced no result. Gambhir ended his stint as Kolkata Knight Riders skipper with an impressive win percentage of 56.55.
According to former India all-rounder Yusuf Pathan, who represented the KKR franchise from 2011 to 2017, Gambhir turned the team into a champion side with his excellence as leader. During a live session with another former India player Mohammad Kaif in 2020, Yusuf hailed Gambhir the captain:
“I played seven years for KKR under Gautam Gambhir. He was an exceptional captain, and his planning was perfect, and he used to back us a lot. He used to interact with all players, team management, support staff to take their knowledge on the game. But, when he’s on the field, he does whatever he feels right, and he achieved a lot of success with that strategy.
“The way he changed KKR team in to a champion side is exceptional. There were many memorable moments with KKR in my seven years."
Speaking of Yusuf's performance for the Kolkata Knight Riders, he's fifth on the list of their all-time leading run-getters. In 122 matches (103 innings), he scored 2,061 runs at an average of 30.30 and a strike rate of 135.94, with seven fifties, including a best of 72. With his off-spin, he picked up 30 wickets at an average of 31.73 and an economy rate of 7.35.
Gautam Gambhir is still KKR's leading run-getter
Although he last turned out for the franchise with the bat in 2017, former KKR captain Gambhir remains the team's all-time leading run-getter. In 122 matches, he notched up 3,345 runs at an average of 31.26 and a strike rate of 124.72, with 30 half-centuries and a best of 93.