This IPL is a great opportunity for Kolkata Knight Riders’ captain Gautam Gambhir to make a strong statement that he is still good enough to represent India. This is the only team after the Chennai Super Kings to have won the IPL twice and KKR could achieve it because of Gambhir at the helm.
Last year, Gambhir wasn’t the top performer in the IPL, but he led the side magnificently. He also had great all-rounders in the team who helped his cause. The main strength of the KKR was their deep batting line -up. Even a leg-spinner like Piyush Chawla could swing his bat and wield the magic.
So, there is dearth of talent in this side and the team management is equally bold. Over the years, this was one of the first teams in the IPL, which took some bold decisions. That would include leaving out stalwarts of the game like Sourav Ganguly and Jacques Kallis. Their thrust was always on the youngsters and the team left no stone unturned to ensure the best domestic talents were with them.
A passionate involvement of the team owner and Bollywood icon like Shah Rukh Khan also helped their endeavour. He brought in a culture of professionalism within the team. He hired professionals and there was no place for amateurs. In this environment when Gambhir took over as the captain, he also inculcated his work culture.
In total, it became a solid unit. Now it has come to stage wherein you can’t really underestimate the KKR team at any given point of time. The other teams are also aware of this. Last year, for example, KKR wasn’t playing in the league stage like the contenders.
However, they picked up their game just when it mattered the most. By the time, the team was in the final, each and every player knew what their roles would be. This year their approach will not be different for sure. It remains to be seen if the defending champions can do it again or not!
