Gautam Gambhir, KKR, Shah Rukh Khan
Shahrukh Khan and Gautam Gambhir. (Credits: Web)

Gautam Gambhir changed the fortunes for KKR. He was named the captain for KKR after Sourav Ganguly faced a tough time and couldn’t bring out the desired result for his side. KKR CEO Venky Mysore revealed how the franchise roped in Gautam Gambhir in the 2011 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction.

Mysore said that KKR doesn’t goes with an intact plan for the IPL. They have plan A, B or C and it depends on the players. He also added that Gambhir was the first name to appear in the auction and they were determined to rope him in. They had budgets and circuit break-up pricing strategy. But with Kochi Tuskers stepping in, they had to change their plans, and break their circuit break-up point.

Venky Mysore, IPL
Venky Mysore. Photo Credit: KKR.

“I was sitting there, and I was hoping, and I was saying my prayers and my heart was beating. I was seeing the most familiar faces of other teams and their ownerships and they were all occupying their respective tables. Then I was saying to myself, this is like a warm-up… like a batsman takes a few knock-downs when they come to bat. So, I was thinking to let a few names come to the auctions that we are not interested in and see what happens.

“Lo and behold, the first name in 2011 auctions Gautam Gambhir – the very first name that came in. It was unbelievable. We were quite determined. We had budgets and circuit break-up pricing in our strategies.

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"It Was A Dog Fight": Venky Mysore On How KKR Signed Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir. Credit: Twitter

“My instinct said that it was the right thing to do. Even though it exceeded our circuit break-up because the Kochi team was equally motivated. There was a dog-fight for that. The rest is history,” Mysore said at the RK show.

IPL 2020 will be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), its chairman Brijesh Patel confirmed after the global governing council postponed the 2020 T20 World Cup to next year. IPL 2020 will get underway on September 19 with the summit clash of the lucrative tournament set to take place on November 8.