Gautam Gambhir kicks aside Yuzvendra Chahal, Lasith Malinga as he names 'greatest IPL bowler'

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) mentor Gautam Gambhir commended Sunil Narine for his resilience and leadership qualities ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Gautam Gambhir also acknowledged Sunil Narine’s significant impact on his own leadership skills.

Gautam Gambhir was appointed as the mentor of the Kolkata-based franchise ahead of the IPL 2024 season. Gambhir led the Knight Riders to title wins in 2012 and 2014 as captain. He served as a mentor for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) team for the past two seasons.

The 42-year-old scored 4218 runs across 154 IPL matches at a decent average of 31.01 and a strike rate of 123.91, including 36 half-centuries. The former Indian cricketer moved to the Delhi Capitals in 2018 before retiring from all cricket formats later that same year.

Had Seen Sunil Narine’s Emotions, Insecurities And Tears – Gautam Gambhir

During the KKR jersey launch event for IPL 2024, Gautam Gambhir reflected on Sunil Narine’s journey with the team. He emphasized Narine’s determination to overcome the challenges and become a standout bowler in the highly competitive tournament.

“When I talk about sacrifice, this young, shy boy who came in 2012 did not utter a word. I had seen his struggles; he has gone through so much in this jersey. What any cricketer would never go through. From being reported to being banned from playing the Champions League final to remodeling his action, coming back and doing the same stuff year after year. I had seen his emotions, insecurities, and tears. I’ve witnessed his journey, and someone like him becoming the greatest bowler in the IPL history. He taught me about sacrifices, Sunil Narine,” Gambhir said.

 

To the ones who stood through thick and thin 🫂 pic.twitter.com/K7EnRNXfuK

— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) March 21, 2024

Sunil Narine has been an integral part of the KKR team since 2012. He showcased his bowling prowess in the early seasons of the T20 tournament. The West Indies spinner contributed significantly to their IPL triumphs in 2012 and 2014 under Gambhir’s leadership.

Narine secured notable wicket hauls of 24, 22, and 21 in his initial seasons. Throughout his IPL career, Narine has taken 163 wickets in 161 matches at an average of 25.78. He also displayed his batting prowess, scoring 1046 runs at an impressive strike rate of 159.69.

Kolkata Knight Riders To Kick Off Their IPL 2024 Campaign On March 23

Shreyas Iyer, who missed the previous season due to injury, has returned to lead the team. Since their IPL 2021 loss to Chennai Super Kings (CSK), the team has failed to advance to the playoffs. They aim to secure their third title in the upcoming season of the tournament.

KKR is set to kick off their campaign against SunRisers Hyderabad at the Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata on March 23, followed by matches against RCB in Bengaluru on March 29 and the Delhi Capitals in Visakhapatnam on April 3, according to the initial schedule.

Kolkata Knight Riders Squad: Shreyas Iyer, K.S. Bharat, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (AFG), Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Sherfane Rutherford (WI), Manish Pandey, Andre Russell (WI), Nitish Rana, Venkatesh Iyer, Anukul Roy, Ramandeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine (WI), Vaibhav Arora, Chetan Sakariya, Harshit Rana, Suyash Sharma, Mitchell Starc (AUS), Dushmantha Chameera (SL), Sakib Hussain, Mujeeb Ur Rahman (AFG).

Also read: Not MS Dhoni or Sachin Tendulkar! Gautam Gambhir names KKR coach as greatest team-man