Gambhir reveals KKR's mantra, says it's not the most...

NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer

Gautam Gambhir

, returning as a mentor for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) after guiding the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for the past two seasons, emphasised that the team's key focus this season is to embrace courage.
"I'm a strong believer that it's not the most talented team that goes on to win big tournaments. It's the most courageous team that's willing to fight till the last drop of blood, will go on to win the IPL.

The mantra for the season is we need to be courageous," Gambhir said in KKR Knights Dugout Podcast.

"We should have the courage to be positive all the time. and if you walk that path, I'm very, very bullish about the kind of talent in our dressing room. If we fight, if we are courageous and fight for everyone in the dressing room, fight for every fan who has stuck with us, if we do that I think we will be in a good position," Gambhir added.

Gambhir also reminisced about the unwavering support he received from team owner Shah Rukh Khan during his rough patch in 2014. Shah Rukh assured him, "You won't be dropping yourself as long as you're here," reinforcing his confidence in Gambhir's abilities.
It served him as a motivation to do well and win the title in 2014.
"I couldn't score one run in four games. I've said it a numerous number of times I think he is the best owner I've worked with. It's not because I'm now part of KKR or I was part of KKR.

"I don't think so in seven years of me captaining KKR we have had a cricketing conversation even for seven minutes, except that patch that I was going through.
"That time also we had the conversation because I was on the verge of dropping myself. The only thing he told me was till you're here, you are not going to drop yourself.
"Imagine someone, as an owner who himself has been such a big achiever, not even talking about cricket or asking you a single thing about your decision making.
"I'm not saying I took all the right decisions. But he never questioned my decisions that's the trust he had in me," he signed off.
(With PTI inputs)