Shahrukh Khan on Gautam Gambhir’s return: “The best thing to happen to KKR”

In an interview with JioHotStar, Shahrukh Khan shared his thoughts on Gautam Gambhir’s return as a mentor, stating that it laid the foundation for KKR through four key pillars. The first was unwavering trust in Mitchell Starc, followed by the strategic move to promote Sunil Narine as an opener. The third crucial step was reuniting with Shreyas Iyer, and lastly, an equally significant decision was investing in young talent.

Kolkata: “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,” said Shahrukh Khan, owner of defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders.

“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,” Shahrukh said in an interview with JioHotStar.

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“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,” he said.

“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!”,” Shahrukh explained.

“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.”

“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,” Shahrukh said.