Shreyas Iyer-led Kolkata Knight Riders lifted the Indian Premier League 2024 trophy on 26 May at the M Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, ten years after their second IPL trophy.
Earlier in 2012 and 2014, the Shah Rukh Khan-led franchise lifted the IPL trophy under the captaincy of Gautam Gambhir. After ten years, KKR repeated the feat, all thanks to Gambhir’s mentorship.
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With KKR pacer Mitchell Starc’s delivery being referred to as the ball of the tournament that dismissed Sunrisers Hyderabad opener Abhishek Sharma in the IPL 2024 final, Gambhir has a different view towards it.
According to the former Indian opener, there is no such thing as an ‘unplayable’ delivery, and neither was Starc, who was bought by KKR for a whopping ₹24.75 crore at the auction.
During an interaction with Sportskeeda, Gambhir labelled Starc as an X-factor.
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“We always knew he was the X-Factor and he will become one at the right time. I mean, what other big matches could be there in the IPL? It was the Qualifier 1 and the Final. That is why I say that the big players wait for such occasions, they thrive on these occasions. Money is irrelevant. What Starc brings to the team was more important,” Gambhir told Sportskeeda.
On being asked if Starc’s delivery was ‘unplayable’, Gambhir noted that it was certainly very close to unplayable, however no delivery is unplayable.
“You expect a bowler of this quality to bowl this kind of a delivery. When you bring these kinds of players, they step up when you need them the most. KKR needed Mitchell Starc in the Qualifier 1 and the Final, and he put his hand up and he delivered. I don’t know whether I should say that was an unplayable delivery or not, because we were taught that no delivery is unplayable, but it was certainly very close to unplayable,” he added.
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In the tournament, Starc played 15 matches and took 17 wickets. He was also named Player of the Match in the final, picking two important wickets in three overs and shedding just 14 runs.
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Published: 31 May 2024, 10:47 PM IST