Returning to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) because the workforce mentor for the Indian Premier League (IPL) season 2024, former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir had the perfect seat in the home when the two-time winners created historical past by buying the providers of Australia’s Mitchell Starc on the mini-auction. Breaking the financial institution for the World Cup 2023 winner, the Kolkata-based franchise positioned a report bid to signal Starc, who final performed an IPL match again in 2015.
Gautam Gambhir had his say about KKR breaking the financial institution for Mitchell Starc(PTI)
Leading the very best reserve value bracket (INR 2 crore) on the mini-auction, Starc was offered to Gambhir’s Kolkata Knight Riders for a whopping sum of INR 24.75 crore in Dubai. Gambhir’s KKR needed to upstage Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to win the extreme bidding warfare for the Australian tempo spearhead. With KKR’s ultra-expensive signing breaking public sale data, former Indian opener Gambhir has defined why Kolkata have invested closely within the 33-year-old pacer for IPL 2024.
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‘He is an X-factor’: Gambhir on Starc
Speaking to JioCinema within the lead-up to the brand new season of the cash-rich league, former KKR skipper Gambhir opined that veteran Starc might be of large assist to home bowlers at IPL 2024. Gambhir went on to model Starc because the X-factor of the Knight Riders for the upcoming season. “He is an X-factor, there is no doubt about that. Someone who can bowl with the new ball, bowl in the death overs and more importantly, someone who can lead the attack,” Gambhir mentioned.
Starc’s lesser-known IPL journey
Starc might be 34 when he returns to the IPL stage as KKR’s premier bowler. Starc was roped in by KKR for INR 9.40 crore when the pacer final featured on the public sale in 2018. Starc has additionally performed for RCB on the earth’s richest T20 league. The Australian quick bowler has picked up 34 wickets in 27 IPL matches. Starc’s Australian teammate Pat Cummins was offered to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for a staggering sum of INR 20.50 crore on the Dubai public sale.
‘Somebody must pay for it’
“He is going to be of massive help to our two domestic bowlers because both of them are very talented and you need someone to help them out in the middle and Starc covers those bases. It is not only about his bowling but also about leading the attack and helping all guys around him. So, somebody will have to pay for it,” the previous KKR captain added.
‘KKR have enough options’
KKR’s bowling assault will even be spearheaded by Varun Chakaravarthy, Chetan Sakariya, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Gus Atkinson at IPL 2024. According to KKR icon Gambhir, the two-time winners have a variety of depth of their bowling line-up following the arrival of Starc. “We always wanted to have a stronger bowling attack and now we have the options with Mujeeb (Ur Rahman), Gus (Atkinson), Sunil (Narine), Varun (Chakravarthy), and Mitchell Starc along with two Indian seamers and Chetan Sakariya. Now, we have enough options where we can play different combinations looking at the venue as well. For me, it has always been about having a strong bowling line up compared to a very strong batting line up,” Gambhir concluded.
Source: www.hindustantimes.com
