Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pacer Harshit Rana completely credited mentor Gautam Gambhir for KKR’s IPL 2024 title win. KKR defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the final on May 26 to win their third title.

KKR had last won the Indian Premier League title when Gautam Gambhir was their captain in 2012 and 2014. They didn’t make it into the finals until 2021 under Eoin Morgan’s captaincy. However, ahead of IPL 2024, the KKR team management managed a coup of sorts as they brought in Gautam Gambhir to be the mentor of the squad.

Gambhir had joined Lucknow Super Giants in the same capacity and the franchise made it into the playoffs in both the IPL 2022 and 2023. However, once a KKRian and always a KKRian, Gambhir jumped at the opportunity to be in the KKR dressing room and took up the job.

And with Shreyas Iyer back as the captain after missing the previous IPL due to injury, Gambhir formed a good unit in both batting and bowling departments.

Harshit Rana credits Gautam Gambhir for KKR’s IPL 2024 win

One of the star performers for the KKR in their victorious IPL 2024 win was Delhi pacer, Harshit Rana. Though KKR’s 24.75 Cr INR auction buy Mitchell Starc led the pace attack, he failed to have an impact in the tournament right till the playoffs and the final. Most of the work was done by Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora.

Harshit Rana, KKR’s star bowler who took 19 wickets in 13 matches in the IPL 2024, had a significant role in the Knight Riders’ winning streak and finished joint-second in wicket-taking for his team in the 17th edition of the IPL.

Rana recently participated in Shubhankar Mishra’s podcast ‘Unplugged’, where he discussed KKR mentor Gautam Gambhir’s sacrifices during the team’s title run.

“Gambhir bhaiya left his political career & everything behind for KKR, he worked day and night hard just to make KKR win the Trophy” Harshit Rana said on Subhankar Mishra’s YouTube channel.

Harshit Rana on GG : Gauti Bhaiya left everything just to make KKR win the Trophy 💜 pic.twitter.com/U9OUvyNfPV

— Aditya (@Hurricanrana_27) June 17, 2024

Apart from Gambhir, Harshit Rana was questioned about the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s failure to win the IPL title. Bengaluru, Delhi, and Punjab are the only three clubs that have yet to win an IPL championship despite playing since the tournament began in 2008. RCB has reached three IPL finals but has yet to win a championship.

Rana said, “They have bad luck. They definitely play good cricket but I think the luck is not with them.”