IPL: Gautam Gambhir Hits Out At Andre Russell & Others For Tarnishing KKR's Image

Gautam Gambhir’s relation with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) is no secret. The former India opener was one of the biggest reasons behind the team’s transformation from under-achievers to one of the most successful teams in the history of the tournament. After spending the first three seasons in the bottom half of the table, the Kolkata-based outfit bought Gambhir for a whopping amount of $2.4 million and it was worth every penny.

Under Gambhir’s captaincy, Kolkata Knight Riders qualified for the IPL playoffs and also made it to the Champions League Twenty20 for the first time in 2011. In the following season, he led the side to their first title in 2012 by defeating defending champions Chennai Super Kings. Two years later, he led the team to their second title, making the Knight Riders one of the most successful teams in the leagues. Even in the last season, he led the side to a third-place finish in the league.

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Gambhir was equally impressive with the bat. One of the most successful batsmen in the history of the league, Gambhir was the batting mainstay of the Knight Riders since joining the side. In the seven seasons, he scored 3,035 runs with the help of 27 half-centuries.

Unsurprisingly, Gambhir is pained with the way things have panned out at the Knight Riders’ camp this season. The Knight Riders have struggled not only on the field this season but also off it. Last week, their star allrounder Andre Russell had caused a stir by saying that the team environment was not healthy.

“It’s (atmosphere) not healthy, to be honest. I’m feeling down at the moment… As cricketers, we have to have the passion inside, and not just to show it on TV,” Russell had said before the game against Mumbai Indians.

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Gambhir has now hit back at the players, saying that it hurts him to see the team in such condition after having invested so much in building team culture.

“It’s unfortunate. We had created a legacy after what KKR had gone through in the first three years. We have worked really hard to create a legacy, create a culture, and for seven years we had given our blood, heart and soul to it. Now suddenly players come out in the open and start talking about the culture. It is not a happy environment, that kind of stuff,” he said.

Gambhir, however, was quick to say that he was hopeful of seeing thing improve in his former team as he wished them luck.

“Hopefully, things will fall in place. I wish KKR all the best, I want them to be the top side. Hopefully, this is just one bad season.”