Former left-handed batter Gautam Gambhir made a major comeback to his beloved team Kolkata Knight Riders and played a crucial part in the team winning their third IPL title by defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final last Sunday. Earlier under the captaincy of Kolkata Knight Riders, the team had lifted the trophy back in 2012 and 2014 and now he is serving the team as a mentor.
After the IPL 2017, Gambhir departed from the franchise and rejoined his former team, Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals), and requested KKR not to retain him before the auctions. In 2018, he announced his retirement from all forms of cricket but stayed connected to the game as a commentator and expert.
Lucknow Super Giants brought Gambhir on board as a mentor, and they made it to the playoffs in their first two seasons in the IPL. During Gambhir’s tenure with the team, KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan allegedly invited him to his residence ‘Mannat’ in Mumbai last year to discuss his potential return to the franchise.
According to Dainik Jagran, the discussion lasted for hours, and Shah Rukh even offered Gambhir the reins of the team for 10 years, along with a blank cheque for his fees.
