"Our next mission is to make KKR the most successful team in the IPL" - Gautam Gambhir [SK Match ki Baat Exclusive]
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) mentor Gautam Gambhir has revealed that the franchise's next mission is to become the most successful franchise in the Indian Premier League. He admitted that the journey towards the next objective has only just begun.
KKR beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by eight wickets in the IPL 2024 final at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on May 26. Bowling first, KKR knocked over SRH for 113 before chasing down the target in 10.3 overs.
Speaking on Sportskeeda's Match ki Baat, Gambhir asserted that he's content with KKR's win but added that the franchise is hungry to achieve a lot more.
"We are still two trophies away from MI and CSK. I am content today, but we are still not the most successful IPL franchise. To do that, we need to win the tournament three more times, and that will require a lot of effort.
"Our next mission is to make KKR the most successful team in the IPL. There will be no better feeling than that. But, the journey towards that has only begun," the KKR mentor said.
Opening up on the emotions of winning the IPL for the third time, the former franchise skipper said that the feeling is something that's difficult to describe in words.
"When you head into the IPL, your first thought is to reach the playoffs. When you are close to the playoffs, you think about top two. When you reach top two, you want to get to the final and then you want to win it. At every step, there has been excitement, challenges, and nervousness," Gambhir said.
"Today, sitting at home, I am a very happy man. IPL is such a league where you cannot take any team lightly. It’s such a high-intensity tournament that when you win it, you start feeling really good about yourself," he added.
There were some fantastic performances from KKR in the IPL 2024 final. Left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc starred with 2-14, while Venkatesh Iyer hammered 52* off 26.
"Vacation with my girls and my wife" - Gambhir on post-IPL plans
Having guided KKR to their third IPL triumph, Gambhir is now looking forward to spend some quality time with his family. He described it as the best way to rejuvenate and relax.
"For me, what’s next is the vacation with my girls and my wife. I am looking forward to it. You get rejuvenated with such breaks, as you don’t have to think about cricket at all.
"There is nothing better than spending time with family. After playing such a high-intensity tournament and winning it, there can be no better feeling."
Gambhir has been involved in all three of KKR's IPL triumphs. While he's the mentor of the team that won the 2024 edition, he was the captain in 2012 and 2014.