The former Indian cricketer on Wednesday announced his separation from the Lucknow franchise after fulfilling the role of a mentor with the team since it came into being two years back. In his two successful years with the franchise, Gambhir was able to take the side into IPL playoffs on successive years.
Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir on Wednesday announced that he is all set to part ways with the Lucknow Super Giants. After a fruitful tenure with Kolkata Knight Riders, he had joined the Lucknow franchise as their mentor two years back, when the team came into being. In his two years with the time, LSG qualified for the playoffs on both occasions.
Now, he is all set to return to the Kolkata franchise as a mentor after two successful campaigns in 2012 and 2014. "I am not an emotional person and not many things move me. But this is different. This is back to where it all started," Gambhir said in a statement. He joined KKR in 2011 and was with the side till 2017.
During that period, the franchise qualified for the IPL playoffs a whopping five times and reached the final of the now-defunct Champions League T20 in 2014. "Gautam has always been part of the family and this is our captain coming back home in a different avatar as a 'Mentor'. He was sorely missed and now we all look forward to Chandu [Chandrakant Pandit] Sir and Gautam in instilling the never-say-die spirit and sportsmanship they stand for, in creating magic with Team KKR," team owner Shah Rukh Khan said in the statement.
The franchise's support staff is led by head coach Chandrakant Pandit, with Abhishek Nayar, James Foster, Bharat Arun, and Ryan ten Doeschate in the lineup. KKR reached the IPL final where they lost to Chennai Super Kings in 2021 but have since finished seventh in both 2022 and 2023.
In recent years, apart from being an MP and TV commentator, Gambhir was a part of the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL. He joined LSG, one of the two new sides in the 2022 season of the tournament and was elevated to the role of global mentor.
