The Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders have been one of the best teams in the league. Although they didn’t fare well in the first three seasons, then scripted a turnaround under the leadership of Gautam Gambhir. The former cricketer has earned a lot of praise for his aggressive brand of leadership. And now, one of the vital cog of Gambhir during his stint with KKR, Yusuf Pathan lauded the former calling him an exceptional skipper.
Under Gambhir, the Knight Riders went on to win the IPL in 2012 and 2014. Yusuf played a key role in the title-winning campaigns scoring the crucial runs in the middle-order. He also chipped in crucial wickets with his gentle off-spin and was a go-to bowler from Gautam Gambhir whenever he needed to break a partnership.
Yusuf Pathan praises Gambhir
Recalling those golden days, Yusuf Pathan heaped praises on Gautam Gambhir for his excellent leadership. The all-rounder Baroda also lauded the cricketer-turned-politician for always backing his players during difficult times.
“I played seven years for KKR under Gautam Gambhir. He was an exceptional captain and his planning was perfect and he used to back us a lot.
“He used to interact with all players, team management, support staff to take their knowledge on the game. But, when he’s on the field, he does whatever he feels right and he achieved a lot of success with that strategy,” he said during a live session with Mohammad Kaif on Monday.
Yusuf Pathan, who was also a part of the Rajasthan Royals squad, who won the debut IPL season in 2008, also lauded Gautam Gambhir for completely changing the KKR side. Currently, Pathan plies his trade for the Sunrisers Hyderabad while Gambhir has hanged his boots in 2018 to join politics.