Shah Rukh Khan held a meeting when KKR felt down and out, Gautam Gambhir finished it: 'It's you who lost the match…'

Shah Rukh Khan and Gautam Gambhir were the perfect recipe behind Kolkata Knight Riders' success. Think about it. On the three occasions when KKR won the IPL, SRK, the owner, had Gambhir at his disposal. The first two years as a captain in 2012 and 2014, and later as a mentor in 2024. No wonder KKR and SRK weren't exactly over the moon when Gambhir left the franchise for national duty – to become India's head coach after Rahul Dravid's tenure ended after last year's T20 World Cup.

KKR thrive on having a positive environment around the team, as reflected by SRK's frequent appearance in the dressing room – in reality or via an audio message. And that is why this team is where it is. Despite having a hot and cold start to IPL 2025, there is no lack of enthusiasm, effort or self-belief, something that has carried forward despite the absence of Gambhir. KKR all-rounder Ramandeep Singh recalled one of his fondest moments in the dressing room, which took place last year and involved King Khan himself. Against Punjab Kings, KKR blasted their way to post 261/6, but in what turned out to be a record-breaking night at the Eden Gardens, Punjab chased down the target with 8 balls remaining. Clearly, it was a blow to the gut for KKR, but Shah Rukh's words smoothened the mood in the dressing room.

"Our team was in high spirits. Every team strives to make that happen. When a team is winning, the mood is good, but when you start losing, then you get to know the truth. There was a match against Punjab Kings where they chased down 260 against us. We felt that if we can't even defend 260, how much more do we need to make? Then Shah Rukh Khan kept a team meeting with us that was finished by Gautam Gambhir. They said 'It's all about you. It's you who has lost this match today, but it's you who will win the match tomorrow'. You have to believe in yourself. There were positive affirmations," Ramandeep told former India Under-19 cricketer Taruvar Kohli on the latter's podcast.

"That's when the team actually started bonding. We could actually feel that everyone was part of a family. No one was blaming the other that you lost this match for us or anything of that sort. Everyone was thinking what he can do to make the team win. It was a feeling that a group gets 'I can do it'"

Why KKR stands out

Ramandeep didn't always belong to KKR. He began his IPL career with the Mumbai Indians three years ago. However, after playing 5 matches in 2022, he did not get a single opportunity in 2023, and was subsequently let go. At the IPL 2024 auction, Ramandeep's fortunes changed when KKR landed a successful bid of ₹20 lakh. He played 15 matches last year for KKR, scoring 125 matches batting at No. 7 or lower. His numbers weren't big but the impact he left was so much that KKR retained him for ₹4 crore. Ramandeep's time at KKR, since joining the franchise, has been quite the ride and he enjoys every moment of it.

"MI released me, so I was in the auction. I was grateful that KKR picked me and I got to play under Gautam Gambhir sir and Abhishek Nayar sir. Even Chandu sir. I used to plan for myself. For the first time, I attended a camp under Nayar sir. That was the first time I batted for three hours in a row, which helped me prepare for match scenarios in the IPL. Very specific to my role," he added.