Kolkata: Ahead of the Indian Premier League taking the centre stage, all teams have embarked on their practice sessions with an aim to lift the silverware of the biggest cricket league. Kolkata Knight Riders took to the field on Friday and the team started with a speech filled with motivation by their mentor and former KKR skipper, Gautam Gambhir.
The former left hand batter, who led KKR to two IPL titles officially took charge as the mentor of the franchise a few months ago.
Beginning his rousing speech, Gambhir said, "We start the season from today whether it’s physically, mentally, skill-wise, give everything possible. You are leading a very reputed and successful franchise. Make sure you train that way, you play that way, and you carry that attitude on the field, that is going to be very, very important.”
Gambhir also made it crystal clear to the team and they should only aim to win the IPL trophy this year. He even assured the players that all will be treated equally and there should be no junior-senior environment in the dressing room.
"I believe in giving all the freedom to the players. That is something very, very important. So people who’ve played with me, know one thing about me that everyone in this group will be treated equally. There’s no senior/junior, there’s no domestic/international, because we’ve got one mission and that is to win the IPL,” said electrified mentor of KKR.
“On May 26, we should be there, giving everything possible and it starts from today. It’s not gonna start on the 26th, it’s not gonna start on the 23rd, it starts today. This is what we wanna do, so if we walk the same path and if we fight, I’m sure we’re gonna achieve a lot of success,” Gambhir concluded his resounding speech.
The Kolkata Knight Riders are slated to play their first match of the season on their home ground Eden Gardens against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on March 23.
