Uthappa believes Gambhir's IPL 2024 return helped KKR regain stability
What's the story
Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa has opened up on the franchise's downfall after Gautam Gambhir's departure in 2017.
Uthappa feels KKR lost their way and went into a panic mode after Gambhir's exit.
The two-time IPL-winning captain played a pivotal role in making KKR a force to reckon with after joining them in 2011.
Notably, after Gambhir's return to the team, he led them to the 2024 IPL triumph.
Here's more.
Team struggles
Uthappa recalls KKR's uncertainty after Gambhir's departure
Speaking on JioHotstar's 'Power Play,' as quoted by IANS, Uthappa recalled the uncertainty that surrounded KKR after Gambhir's departure.
He said, "When Gautam Gambhir was no longer with KKR, it felt like—where are the pieces going to settle?"
"Since his exit, there was a slight loss of direction. I think, at one point, panic set in. From the outside, you could sense that things weren't as smooth as they seemed," the former cricketer added.
Positive impact
Uthappa praises Gambhir's return to KKR
Uthappa was excited about Gambhir returning to KKR in IPL 2024 as a mentor and guiding them to their third title.
He stated, "As soon as I heard that Gautam was coming back, I remember tweeting that the best thing to happen to KKR since Gautam Gambhir leaving, was Gautam Gambhir coming back!"
KKR owner Shah Rukh Khan also echoed the sentiment, calling it a big homecoming for the cricketer.
Short-lived
Gambhir's brief stint as KKR mentor
Despite having led KKR to their third title, Gambhir's stint as a mentor was short-lived.
In July 2024, he was appointed as India's head coach after Rahul Dravid.
He is currently coaching India at the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
Meanwhile, KKR have appointed Dwayne Bravo as a mentor for the upcoming season, with Ajinkya Rahane taking over captaincy duties and Venkatesh Iyer serving as vice-captain..
2024 season
A look at KKR's 2024 title-winning season
As mentioned, Kolkata Knight Riders were crowned champions of the 2024 IPL season.
Led by Shreyas Iyer, they dominated Sunrisers Hyderabad in a one-sided final at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, on May 26.
Meanwhile, KKR were outstanding in the league stage, topping the points table with nine wins in 14 games (NRR: +1.428).
Two of their matches were abandoned due to rain, finishing with 20 points.
Notably, they stormed into the final by crushing SRH in a one-sided Qualifier 1.
2025 Schedule
KKR's 2025 season schedule
The 18th edition of the IPL will kick off on Saturday, March 22.
Meanwhile, the first match of the season and KKR's tournament opener will be against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Eden Gardens.
Notably, their last group stage game is also against RCB in Bengaluru on May 17.
Additionally, they lock horns with SRH in their fourth group stage match on April 3.
Captaincy stats
Gambhir's captaincy record with KKR
As per ESPNcricinfo, Gambhir led the Knight Riders in 122 IPL matches, winning 69 of them, and is considered one the most successful captains of the team.
Notably, he led them to their first two titles in 2012 and 2014.
Additionally, he is also the only captain to win 10 consecutive IPL matches and was the first skipper to win 14 consecutive T20 matches for a team.