'Miss the thrill factor': Harshit Rana cites Gautam Gambhir's 'aura' amid KKR's poor IPL 2025 run

Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have failed to get going in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. The Ajinkya Rahane-led side are on the cusp of being eliminated from the playoffs race. KKR need to win their remaining five matches to keep their hopes alive. A loss against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium will all but knock them out of the playoffs race. Ahead of the fixture, KKR pacer Harshit Rana admitted to missing the thrill and aura of Gautam Gambhir.

Gambhir mentored the franchise during last year's title-winning campaign. KKR's success paved the way for the former India opening batter to become the head coach of the Indian men's senior side.

KKR does have the rest of the support staff from last year—Chandrakant Pandit and Abhishek Nayar. The latter joined the team mid-season this year after being reportedly sacked from India's support staff. Dwayne Bravo is the franchise's mentor this season. However, Rana admitted to missing what Gambhir brought to the table.

“The support staff is basically the same, and even Nayar bhai is back. But yeah there was a thrill factor that I miss a little - speaking just for myself, not anyone else. But it's nothing like that. It's all the same, Chandu sir, Nayar bhai, Bravo. We are getting the kind of environment we want,” Rana told reporters at the pre-match press conference on Monday.

“There have been changes, of course, since Nayar returned because he has a very smart mind. He reads the game very well. And the Indian core of our team, he knows them very well. He only has helped develop them over many years. So, it helps us that he is back and it feels good,” he added.

Gambhir has an 'aura'

Speaking further about Gautam Gambhir, Harshit Rana said that the current India coach has an aura about himself and is infectious in the dressing room.

Ahead of the IPL 2025 season, the franchise retained Harshit Rana as an uncapped player. Since being retained, the pacer made his debut for India in all three formats of the game.

"I wasn't talking about anything personal. But you also know, he (Gambhir) has an aura in the way he carries the team forward. I was just talking about that," said Harshit.

For the uninitiated, Harshit Rana is KKR's joint-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2025, with 11 wickets to his name in nine fixtures. He also confirmed that he is raring to go for the contest against Delhi Capitals. Earlier, the pacer had injured his left elbow while attempting to take a catch during KKR's no-result against Punjab Kings at the Eden Gardens.

KKR are currently placed seventh on the points table with three wins, five defeats and a no-result.