IPL 2018: 3 reasons why KKR will miss Gautam Gambhir this season

The Eden Gardens crowd will not be able to witness their hero in the famous purple-gold jersey this season. The best player in the Knight Riders' history will be making a much-awaited return to the Feroz Shah Kotla in the 2018 IPL season.

Gambhir enjoyed immense success at Kolkata, having won two titles with them. He mesmerized the fans with his stylish stroke play and fiery captaincy. They will for sure miss their legend, who was credited with bringing unprecedented success to the ‘City of Joy’.

Gambhir, who was KKR’s prized possession, had a special connection with their fans throughout his stay at the franchise. For the fans, it will be nothing short of a nightmare to see their former skipper playing in a different jersey.

For the past seven years, the summer in Kolkata was all about Gautam Gambhir. But at the stroke of the second decade in IPL, Eden Gardens will wake up to a new life. A life without Gautam Gambhir. Unimaginable, right?

A solid top-order batsman

Mr. Reliable

The Kolkata Knight Riders have assembled a pretty good squad for this season. They have got Mitchell Starc, Chris Lynn, Robin Uthappa and some talented young Indian players.

But there will be one major absentee in their dug-out, their former skipper, Gautam Gambhir.

The southpaw was very consistent with the bat in his seven seasons with the franchise, providing a much-needed start to their innings at the top. Gambhir scored above 300 runs in all the seasons he played for the KKR, with his highest tally being 590 in the title-winning 2012 season.

Together with Robin Uthappa, he made valuable contributions to this side and the right-left combination proved wonders for the Knight Riders.

Overall, he has scored 3,035 runs in seven seasons (2011-2017). Even though they have got some big names in their squad, KKR will surely miss a player of such calibre this year.

Statistics:

Matches: 108, Runs: 3035, Highest score: 93, Fifties: 27

A passionate leader

2014 IPL Champion- KKR

The Knight Riders failed to reach the semis in the first three seasons of the IPL. It was only after Gambhir’s arrival in 2011 that they reached the playoffs for the very first time. In the playoffs, they lost against the Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator.

The next season, KKR won the title in dramatic fashion, defeating the favourites Chennai Super Kings in their own backyard. Kolkata then won their second IPL title in 2014, defeating Kings XI Punjab and Gambhir became only the second captain ever to win the title twice.

In the seven seasons under Gambhir, KKR have won the title twice (2012, 2014) and reached the playoffs thrice (2011, 2016, 2017). Under his leadership, KKR became a powerhouse of the Indian Premier League.

The talented under-19 players in the Kolkata squad this season will surely miss someone like Gambhir. He would have been an ideal mentor and a person they can look up to. For the new skipper though, it will be hard to fill in the shoes of the most successful KKR captain.

Best finish: Winners (2012, 2014)

Playoffs: (2011, 2016, 2017)

A fan favourite

The Eden Gardens

The only player to receive love and respect of the people of ‘the City of Joy’, other than Sourav Ganguly, is Gautam Gambhir. He adopted the city as his second home.

The chants of ‘Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo’ were louder than ever after his arrival. Kolkata was his Home; Eden Garden was his fortress and the KKR fans were his family. He will forever be in the hearts of the KKR fans for all that he had done to the franchise.

The City of Kolkata will no doubt miss him this season.