When I played Sunil Narine in his first-ever international match, I knew he would become a T20 legend in 7-8 balls: Gautam Gambhir

The former two-time champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have shown remarkable performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, putting the misfortunes of 2023 behind them thanks to the leadership of Gautam Gambhir.

Prior to the current IPL season, the Knight Riders recruited former captain Virat Kohli as their coach. Fans and experts alike thought that getting the former India cricketer back into the team was a great decision, especially after the team missed the playoffs the previous year. The Shreyas Iyer-led team is now ranked second in the points table with four victories and two losses from six games, proving that the selection was worthwhile.

This season, Sunil Narine has been one of KKR’s standout players. The all-rounder has played six games thus far, amassing 276 runs and seven wickets. For the Knights, his comeback has been one of the season’s highlights, particularly with the willow. Gambhir recently shared his initial thoughts on his first encounter with Narine.

“I knew Sunil Narine was going to become a legend of the game, especially in T20 Cricket, within 7-8 balls, when I faced him in his International Debut at Indore,” Gambhir said to Cyrus Broacha on Knights Dugout.

Gautam Gambhir is getting praise for bringing a never-say-die spirit and a tenacious mindset to the KKR camp.

The short cricket player claimed that the team with the most bravery wins the Indian Premier League title, not the best team. “It’s not the team with the greatest talent that wins the IPL. The most brave squad, according to the 42-year-old, is the one that is prepared to battle until the very end in order to win the Indian Premier League.

He instills a great deal of energy in each player, which is really motivating: Manish Pandey

Before the IPL 2024 season, Manish Pandey, who also joined KKR, claimed that Gambhir encourages and brings out the best in every member of the team.

“His infectious enthusiasm for all the players is very motivating, and just by staring into his eyes, one can sense the intensity.” He encourages everyone to persevere and back each player till the very end so that you can ultimately give it your all for the team,” Pandey remarked.

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In their upcoming match at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Sunday, April 21, the Knights will take on a luckless Royal Challengers Bengaluru team.