"I have not lifted a lot of players before, and neither have players lifted me before" - Gambhir on KKR IPL 2024 revelry [SK Match ki Baat Exclusive]
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) mentor Gautam Gambhir opened up about the celebrations that sparked at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai after the franchise secured their third 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL). A sea of purple swarmed the ground, and the celebrations also involved Gambhir, who played a key role behind the scenes.
In an image that will be part of KKR's folklore for years to come, Gautam Gambhir and Sunil Narine were witnessed sharing a smile during the festivities and they even lifted each other up. The KKR players also made it a point to lift their mentor to show his importance in the trophy win and it was certainly a moment that Gambhir cherished as well.
The former player admitted that the win triggered an outpour of emotions, particularly because of the circumstances behind it.
"I have not lifted a lot of players before, and neither have players lifted me before, but there were lot of emotions after the win. I reunited with Narine and Russell after six years, and that is a long period of time, and I know them very well so the emotions came out after winning, and this is why you play cricket," Gambhir said in an exclusive interaction with Sportskeeda.
Narine was one of the biggest contributors to KKR's success in the 2024 IPL, and was rightly adjudged as the Most Valuable Player for his all-round exploits. The Caribbean ace scored 488 runs at a strike rate of 180.74 and took 17 wickets at an economy of 6.69.
"Even if Narine was not given the MVP award, he would still be KKR's MVP always. You can look at the stats and all, but Narine was KKR's MVP even before the tournament began. There is a lot to see from Narine still, he still has the ability to give a lot more for KKR and world cricket," he added.
Narine has been retained by KKR every time since he made his debut in 2012, and given his performances this season, his bond with KKR is expected to continue.
"There are so many teams where only one bowler has reached 17-18 wickets, but here our sixth bowling option stepped up with 19 wickets" - Gautam Gambhir on Andre Russell
Along with Narine, another KKR stalwart in the form of Andre Russell stepped up when it mattered. The all-rounder came through for KKR with his cameos as well as his timely strikes with the ball. He ended up with 19 wickets at an average of 15.53.
"Absolutely, Shreyas deserves praise for utilizing Russell well with the ball. There are so many teams where only one bowler has reached 17-18 wickets, but here our sixth bowling option stepped up with 19 wickets, and that too some crucial ones. West Indies will be a huge threat to other teams at the World Cup, because they have everything to become a champion side," Gambhir stated.
Gambhir elaborated on Russell's bond with KKR which has been built on trust and respect.
"When one is associated with a franchise for 12-13 years, there is a lot of emotion involved. The franchise must also be credited for the way they have treated players. Honestly, Russell owes nothing to KKR because of what he has already done, only a few players have done for their franchises. It is a relationship built on trust and respect," Gambhir concluded
Russell will feature for the West Indies at the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup. The all-rounder recently made a return for his national side, but could not convince Sunil Narine to do the same.