Gautam Gambhir, former India opener, is rumored to make a return to his former IPL franchise, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), and might become a part of the coaching staff in the IPL 2024. Gambhir has a long-standing relationship with Shah Rukh-owned franchise.
Gambhir was bought by the KKR franchise in the IPL 2011 auction in which the opener was the most expensive player sold at USD 2.4 million. He was immediately made the captain of the franchise and he repaid that faith by winning two IPL titles for the KKR. He won the IPL 2012 and 2014 for the KKR franchise.
Gambhir then requested his release from KKR ahead of IPL 2018 and moved to his home Delhi Capitals. But he was replaced as captain mid-tournament by Shreyas Iyer, as he stepped down due to poor form and at the end of the season, retired from IPL.
Earlier, it was reported that Gambhir would miss the 2024 season of the IPL due to his involvement in the Lok Sabha Elections. Currently, he holds the position of Member of Parliament (MP) from the East Delhi constituency.
“Yes, Gautam Gambhir is likely to just take a break for the next IPL to political commitments. He is not moving to a different team or leaving franchises. There will be a lot of political work involved in the build-up to the Lok Sabha elections, so he wants to focus all his energies towards that,” a source had told CricketNext in August.
However, the latest report from Jagran News has said that Gautam Gambhir is set to rejoin KKR franchise ahead of the IPL 2024 season. And he will be part of the coaching staff which is led by Chandrakant Pandit.
Gautam Gambhir Set To Do Homecoming To Kolkata Knight Riders
Gautam Gambhir has been serving as the mentor for LSG in the last two editions of the competition. However, recent reports suggest that his association with the Lucknow-based franchise is coming to an end as he plans to join forces with KKR.
According to a report by Jagran News, Gambhir recently had a meeting with KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan at the latter’s Mumbai residence to discuss his role with the team. On Thursday, September 21, Gautam Gambhir took to his social media platforms to share a picture alongside the renowned movie star, Shah Rukh Khan.
He’s not just the king of Bollywood but the king of hearts. Every time we meet I go back with endless love and respect . So much to learn from u . Simply the best ❤️❤️ SRK @iamsrk pic.twitter.com/VcMV1QahUq
— Gautam Gambhir (Modi Ka Parivar) (@GautamGambhir) September 21, 2023
It is important to note that there have been no official announcements regarding Gautam Gambhir’s future with KKR.