Gautam Gambhir, the KKR mentor, said that until he is there in the dugout, the team will never win the Fair Play award in the IPL. This came during a conversation with Ravichandran Ashwin on his YouTube Channel.
Gautam Gambhir, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) coach, has repeatedly faced criticism for “not smiling” and always having a “game face on,” and now the former India opener, who is well-known for his grim visage, has turned heads with his daring statement.
Even after taking over as the Indian Premier League clubs’ coach, Gambhir, who was known as an aggressive player during his playing career, continues to think in the same way.
Despite finishing at the top of the IPL 2024 points table, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are rock bottom at the 10th spot of the league phase of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL). Fairplay award is given to the team for their on-field conduct during the season.
Gautam Gambhir said he and the Fairplay Award have failed to strike a deal despite his ‘best efforts’ this season.
“At the end of the IPL season, you’re going to have an IPL trophy in your hand. Would you prefer that or would you be a popular cricket and not have that trophy? Someone sent me a message a couple of days ago. KKR is where KKR is at the moment. I said yeah. At the top. ‘In fair play?’ I said number 10. ‘Is there a trophy?’ I said, No,” Gambhir said to Ashwin on his YouTube channel.
“I still don’t understand. What have we done wrong in the last five games? Probably it’s just because I was sitting in the dugout. Unfortunately, even then I was a backbencher. I was made to sit on the last bench. It’s been going with me since I was a young kid and has continued like that,” Gambhir revealed.
Gautam Gambhir says KKR will never the fair play award till he’s in the dressing room
Gambhir also touched upon his hug with Virat Kohli a year after the two were involved in a heated exchange that forced intervention from other players and match officials.
“The moment I am there with any franchise to fairplay award, we are either number nine or 10. Last year LSG was number nine and KKR is number 10. So if you want a Fairplay Award, stay away from me.
“Honestly, I believed we will be at the top of the table because of what has happened at Chinnaswamy. I thought, there is no competition, irrespective where are we on the points table but we got to be at the top of the fair play table. We are still at the bottom of the fair play award,” Gambhir said.
“Is that one part of the conversation SRK has had with you. Gambhir, at whatever cost, you are back in the team but I want the Fairplay award?” Ashwin asked.
“Probably you need someone else in the dugout, because you will never have that Fairplay award till I am there. I have done the best I could, to the best of my ability. Still we are number 10 in the fair play award,” Gambhir said.
Gambhir will be seen in KKR dugout when his team faces off against SRH in the Qualifier 1 on May 21, 2024 in Ahmedabad.
Also Read: IPL 2024: ‘It’s My Way Or Highway’- Aakash Chopra on Gautam Gambhir Becoming Future India Head Coach