Mumbai: In an exclusive series on JioHotstar called ‘Power Play’, KKR Team owner Shah Rukh Khan, along with experts Aakash Chopra, Robin Uthappa, and Manvinder Bisla shared insights on the return of Gautam Gambhir as Kolkata Knight Riders’ mentor and their stellar TATA IPL 2024-winning season
SPEAKING EXCLUSIVELY ON JIOHOTSTAR, SHAH RUKH KHAN SAID ON GAUTAM GAMBHIR’S RETURN TO KKR AS A COACH AND MENTOR IN 2024: “I never thought Gautam Gambhir left us. There has always been a lovely relationship with Gautam over the years. There are a few players with whom friendships remain strong, and Gautam Gambhir is one of them. For him, it was a big homecoming.”
SPEAKING EXCLUSIVELY ON JIOHOTSTAR, AAKASH CHOPRA ANALYZED KKR’S TEAM-BUILDING STRATEGY UNDER GAUTAM GAMBHIR IN 2024: “When Gautam Gambhir returned as a mentor, and then built the squad, I felt that four pillars formed the foundation of the team. First was the unwavering faith in Mitchell Starc. Second, the decision to promote Sunil Narine as an opener. The third key element was reuniting with Shreyas Iyer. And last, but equally important, was investing in young talent.”
SPEAKING EXCLUSIVELY ON JIOHOTSTAR ON HOW KKR STRUGGLED AFTER GAUTAM GAMBHIR’S DEPARTURE AND HIS MUCH-AWAITED RETURN IN 2024, ROBIN UTHAPPA SAID:
“When Gautam was no longer with KKR, it felt like—where are the pieces going to settle? Since his exit, there was a slight loss of direction. I think, at one point, panic set in. From the outside, you could sense that things weren’t as smooth as they seemed. You always expect KKR to perform at a high level, and when the performances didn’t match the team’s aura, it became evident that something had to change. As soon as I heard that Gautam Gambhir was coming back, I remember tweeting that the best thing to happen to KKR since Gautam Gambhir leaving, was Gautam Gambhir coming back!”
SPEAKING EXCLUSIVELY ON JIOHOTSTAR AND DISCUSSING THE SUCCESSFUL DYNAMICS BETWEEN GAUTAM GAMBHIR AS MENTOR AND SHREYAS IYER AS CAPTAIN, AAKASH CHOPRA SAID:
“For Gautam Gambhir the mentor, you needed a captain like Shreyas Iyer. Gautam is always deeply involved—he handpicks the players, decides the strategy, and brings a clear vision. To complement that, the captain has to be someone without conflicting thoughts. There are contrasting styles between the two—Gautam is intense, always in your face, while Shreyas has a laid-back, composed approach. But together, they were the perfect match, balancing each other out.”
SPEAKING EXCLUSIVELY ON JIOHOTSTAR, AJAY JADEJA SPOKE ABOUT KKR’S BOLD DECISION TO APPOINT GAUTAM GAMBHIR AS CAPTAIN IN 2011: “The relationship between KKR and Sourav Ganguly, whether with the fans or within the team, wasn’t yielding great results. So, in 2011, a major overhaul was planned. I think the biggest shift that year was that, before 2011, KKR was seen as Sourav Ganguly’s team. But from that point, it became Shah Rukh Khan’s team—with Gautam Gambhir leading them.”
RECALLING HIS FIRST INTERACTION WITH GAUTAM GAMBHIR IN 2011, FORMER KKR WICKETKEEPER-BATTER MANVINDER BISLA SAID ON JIOHOTSTAR: “I remember Gautam Gambhir’s first statement after coming to Kolkata. He said, ‘I’m your second son. And this is my second home. I’m not here to replace Dada (Sourav Ganguly). I’m here to make a name for myself. Kolkata, which hasn’t won a trophy in the last three years, I want to assure you that in the coming years, this team will show you how to win a trophy.’”
