Gambhir "Left Politics For...": Star's Blunt Take On 'Undue Credit' Query

Kolkata Knight Riders produced a thrilling performance to clinch the IPL 2024 title and lot of the credit for the victory was given to mentor Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir, who led KKR to two IPL titles as captain in 2012 and 2014, joined the franchise as mentor ahead of IPL 2024 and his partnership with head coach Chandrakant Pandit proved to be the winning combination. In a recent interview, KKR fast bowler Harshit Rana was asked if Gambhir was getting "undue credit" for the win ahead of skipper Shreyas Iyer and the cricketer had a blunt reply. Rana said that Gambhir left his political career to give his all for the KKR side and added that the former India batter "did his best" to win the IPL trophy in 2024.

"Gambhir Bhaiya left his political career and everything behind for KKR. He left politics and came back to KKR, and he worked day and night hard just to make KKR win the trophy. He is so involved in KKR. I am genuinely telling you that he did his best to win this trophy. He left everything just to win the KKR trophy. So, sir, why shouldn't he get this honour?” Rana told Shubhankar Mishra on YouTube.

Gambhir is all the frontrunner to succeed Rahul Dravid as the Indian cricket team head coach. Dravid's tenure will come to an end after T20 World Cup 2024 and media reports suggest that Gambhir has already agreed to take the job after the BCCI agreed to his requests.

"We have held talks with Gambhir to become the head coach of the Indian team. He will replace the outgoing Rahul Dravid after the T20 World Cup," a BCCI source told Dainik Bhaskar.

KKR topped the league stage in IPL 2024 and went on to beat Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final.