Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary heaped praise on Gautam Gambhir for helping Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) stage a comeback after going through a couple of disappointing seasons in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Gambhir, who had led KKR to the IPL title in 2012 and 2014, was roped in as the mentor ahead of the 17th edition of the cash-rich league. The Kolkata-based franchise finished seventh in the last two editions of the tournament. However, in IPL 2024, Shreyas Iyer and Co. finished at the top of the points table after the league stage and stormed into the finals after beating Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 1.
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Tiwary, who played under Gambhir’s leadership for three seasons at KKR from 2011 to 2013, said that the southpaw has made the difference for the former champions this season.
“Gautam Gambhir has made the difference this season. This is the same team that was playing in the last two seasons, but the performances were not there on the field. The way everyone has performed, you have to say that Gambhir has made the difference,” Tiwary said on Cricbuzz.
However, the cricketer-turned-expert also gave credit to the KKR players for stepping up and playing fearlessly.
“It is not like only one person should get the credit. The players have really stepped up and expressed themselves to play fearless cricket in IPL 2024,” the former Bengal captain further added.
The Knight Riders are going to square off against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the summit clash of IPL 2024 at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The two-time champions will have fond memories of playing at this venue, as they won their first title here in 2012 after beating Chennai Super Kings in the final.
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KKR will be upbeat about their chances of prevailing in the finals as they have an incredible record against the Orange Army. The Knights have lost just nine games and won 18 against the Sunrisers. This season, KKR met SRH on two occasions and emerged victorious each time.