Former Kolkata Knight Riders captain Gautam Gambhir opened up about how he joined the franchise in 2011 and expected hostile behavior from the fans as he was replacing Sourav Ganguly, the Prince of Calcutta. He took a trip down memory lane as he relished his starting days of taking over the captaincy of the Kolkata Knight Riders.
“When I got picked in 2011, a lot of people told me that there would be a lot of backlash because you’re replacing someone like Sourav Ganguly. But I remember my first game in Kolkata; the amount of love I received was unimaginable,” Gambhir said.
While speaking in the chat show of Ravichandran Ashwin on Youtube, Gambhir appreciated the fans for their unwavering support and for making him feel like he belonged from the very first season. He played for the Delhi Daredevils in the initial three years before being picked up by the Shah Rukh Khan-owned franchise.
“I never thought I would receive that kind of love because a lot of things were spoken about when Sourav was replaced, but never once in my 7 years of captaincy was I made to feel that I did not belong in Kolkata. That’s my relationship with the people of Kolkata. I have said it in the past, not because I have led the team; Kolkata is my home. That’s the emotion I carryy,” he added.
He also recalled facing Sourav Ganguly in their match against the Pune Warriors in 2012. The former opener for India recognized the divided audience and related a heartfelt conversation he had with a member of the staff at his team hotel.
Gambhir is currently the mentor of the franchise. They have qualified for the playoffs and will face Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Gujarat.
