Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) mentor Gautam Gambhir spoke about what sets KKR owner Shah Rukh Khan apart from all the other owners in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
SRK has attended almost all KKR games this season and never fails to greet the players and the coaching staff personally after the games end.
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During KKR's game against Delhi Capitals (DC) earlier this season, he was seen consoling a dejected Rishabh Pant, the DC skipper, after KKR beat them.
SRK's behaviour with the players, both KKR's and the opposition teams, has earned the admiration of the fans and players. And Gambhir, in a recent interview, shed light on the same.
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'SRK is the best owner' – Gautam Gambhir opens up on his 'special' relationship with KKR owner
In a chat with Sportskeeda, Gambhir was asked about his relationship with Shah Rukh Khan. He was also asked what it has been like to work with SRK.
Here's what Gambhir had to say:
I have had a fabulous relationship with him (SRK). I think I have said this before, and on every platform. For me, he is the best owner I have worked with. And the reason is not just that he is humble or pretty grounded.
There are many reasons because when you enter the profession of sports, sports is such a big leveler and there are no retakes in sports. In movies, you can have retakes, but in cricket or sports, if you play a bad shot or bowl a bad ball, there's no coming back.
I don't think he has ever interfered in cricketing matters. And that is such a big deal for someone like me because you have that freedom when it comes to decision-making. You have that trust that whatever decisions I'll take, I know he's going to back me. And more importantly, that's why we have got the results as well.
My relationship with SRK has been fantastic, and not just recently, but since I joined KKR as a player in 2011. And now, when I joined in a different capacity. KKR is an emotion for me. That's why I feel whenever a relationship's foundation is built on trust, then that trust goes a long way. I think it's the trust between the both of us because I know he won't involve himself in cricketing matters and he knows that whatever decision I will take, it will be in the best interests of the team.
Gambhir was also asked how big of a boost it is to get the trust, confidence, and freedom from an owner.
The former KKR captain replied:
Ask any player, coach, or mentor. The most important relationship between an owner and a player or a coach or a captain is how much you trust each other and how much you value each other's contributions.
It's very easy nowadays, especially in India, because every person is an expert. Everyone feels no one else understands cricket better than they do. But it's important to understand that sports can turn you into a star one day and brings you down to earth another day. In sports history, one player staying at the peak throughout the lives is something which has never happened.
Oftentimes, as an expert or as an owner, in India, we start criticising in a minute. One must criticise only when you yourself experience a particular situation or pressure, which a batsman or bowler might find himself in. I think SRK understands that really well because he has experienced struggles in life.
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