"The bat and ball does not know whether it is a big match or a small match" - Gambhir on KKR's mentality in IPL 2024 [SK Match ki Baat Exclusive]
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) mentor Gautam Gambhir shed light on how he instilled his vision and mentality into the current group of players and molded them into a title-winning squad. The former franchise skipper was roped in as a member of the coaching staff ahead of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season after KKR failed to qualify for the playoffs two years in a row.
Gambhir had played a huge role during his stint as player and captain, delivering two titles in the space of three years, and his mentality had a huge role to play. His no-nonsense demeanor, coupled with his intense desire to win, was the perfect character that KKR needed to be back among silverware.
Gambhir stressed the importance of keeping things simple and showcasing courage and hunger.
"Courage is definitely a difference. 'Big matches' are created by broadcasters, social media, and in your mind. The bat and ball does not know whether it is a big match or a small match, they will behave like they usually do. So, when you shut these outside noises, then you enter your best zone where you can perform," Gambhir said in an exclusive interaction with Sportskeeda.
Gambhir further explained how being fearless helps teams overcome talented sides in a highly competitive tournament such as the IPL. He added:
"It is as simple as it gets. If you are not hungry to help your team win, if you are not hungry to satisfy the fans while wearing the jersey that gave you an opportunity to showcase your talent, then you have no right to sit in that dressing room.
"As I have said before, the most talented team has never won a big tournament, and never will, it is the fearless teams that know how to take risks at the big moments that have the advantage over the talented sides."
Gambhir's speeches before the tournament, posted by KKR's social media team, had described all of these aspects. To the players' credit, they abided by those statements and helped the side achieve success.
"In this era of Mamba mentality, we’re soon all going to embrace the GG mentality" - Nitish Rana on Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir clearly had an influence on the players, which is evident through what Nitish Rana said following the title win and what he posted on Instagram as well.
"In this era of Mamba Mentality, we’re soon all going to embrace the GG Mentality," Rana wrote.
Gambhir's recent rise as a coach has also attracted interest from Team India, who wish to rope the former player as the new head coach once Rahul Dravid steps down after the 2024 T20 World Cup.