Ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin feels Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) mentor Gautam Gambhir could be MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) biggest rival in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. CSK and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are both successful teams in the IPL. CSK have won the joint-most IPL titles, i.e five times alongside Mumbai Indians while KKR have won it twice, both under the leadership of Gautam Gambhir.
These two teams have faced each other many times throughout the IPL. In a total of 31 matches, CSK have won 19 games, while KKR have emerged victorious 11 time with a match ended without a result.
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CSK, KKR's track record in IPL
Interestingly, KKR defeated CSK in the IPL final in both 2012 and 2014, with Gambhir at the helm. Since then, KKR haven't won a single title. To improve their chances, KKR brought back Gambhir as a mentor for the IPL 2024 season. This is Gambhir's second time as a mentor in the IPL, having previously served with the Lucknow Super Giants in 2022 and 2023. With Gambhir's experience and guidance, KKR hope to end their title drought in the 17th season of the IPL.
Gautam Gambhir is thorn in the flesh for CSK: Ashwin
Meanwhile, in his latest YouTube video, the seasoned Indian spinner Ashwin discussed Gambhir's competitive nature and heaped praise on him. Ashwin mentioned that while the rivalry between Mumbai Indians and CSK has often been in the spotlight, Gambhir has also significantly challenged MS Dhoni and his team, describing him as ‘another thorn in the flesh’ for CSK.
“For CSK, Mumbai Indians have been a nemesis over the years. They’ve had 5-5 equal titles. The Mumbai Indians actually won their first title only in 2013. In the last 10 years, they have won five titles, one every alternate year. Another thorn in the flesh for CSK was Gautam Gambhir’s KKR,” Ashwin said.
“He has posed a good threat to them, especially in 2012, when Chennai was going to hit a hat trick. I was playing them for CSK; they had us at the finals in Chennai. Since then, Gautam Gambhir has also been quite the nemesis for CSK,” he added.
Ashwin also stated that Gambhir's attitude might not sit well with fans of certain IPL teams, but he he personally admires it.
“He (Gambhir) is one person who has ‘bring it on’ energy and doesn’t hold back. I like that attitude in him. If you are a fan of a particular team, you might get offended by it. But to look at it from the outside, the no-chill attitude is something I love,” Ashwin furthe said.
Ashwin is optimistic about KKR's chances of winning the IPL this year with the return of Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir appears to be content to be back with the franchise.
“Gautam Gambhir has left LSG and joined KKR. He has been an integral part of the leadership. He was the first to change the fortunes of the franchise and won two titles as the captain. They are searching for their third title, and this seems like the perfect timing. They’ve brought him from LSG because they seem to have a great connection with him. In fact, Gautam also seems to be a happy place to be in KKR,” Ashwin concluded.
Notably, CSK will be up against RCB in the IPL 2024's opener on March 22 while Shreyas Iyer-led KKR will play their first match against SRH on March 23.
CSK's schedule for IPL 2024's first leg:
CSK vs Royal Challengers Bangalore - March 22 - Chennai - 7:30 PM IST
CSK vs Gujarat Titans - March 26 - Chennai - 7:30 PM IST
CSK vs Delhi Capitals - March 31 - Visakhapatnam - 7:30 PM IST
CSK vs Sunrisers Hyderabad - April 5 - Hyderabad - 7:30 PM IST
KKR's schedule for IPL 2024's first leg:
KKR vs Sunrisers Hyderabad - March 23 - Kolkata - 7:30 PM IST
KKR vs Royal Challengers Bangalore - March 29 - Bengaluru - 7:30 PM IST
KKR vs Delhi Capitals - April 3 - Visakhapatnam - 7:30 PM IST
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