Returning to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as the coach of the Indian Premier League (IPL) team for the 2024 season, former India all-rounder Gautam Gambhir had the best seat in the house as the two-time champions made history by securing the services of Australia’s Mitchell. Starc at the mall. Bankrolling the 2023 World Cup, the Kolkata-based franchise set a record for signing Starc, who last played an IPL match in 2015.
Going for a very conservative price (INR 2 crore) in the junior market, Starc was sold to Gambhir’s Kolkata Knight Riders for a whopping INR 24.75 crore in Dubai. Gambhir’s KKR had to rise above Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to win the battle against the leading Australians. With KKR’s most expensive signing breaking the auction record, former India opener Gambhir explained why Kolkata invested heavily in the 33-year-old’s IPL 2024 debutant.
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‘He’s the X-factor’: Gambhir on Starc
Talking with JioCinema on the brink of making it to the cash-rich league, former KKR star Gambhir opined that Starc’s legacy will be a big help to the home bowlers in IPL 2024. Gambhir went on to call Starc as the X-factor. of the Knight. Riders for the coming season. “He is the X-factor, there is no doubt about it. Someone who can play with the new ball, bowl in idols, and above all, someone who can lead the attack,” said Gambhir.
Starc’s most famous IPL tour
Starc will be 34 when he returns to the IPL as KKR’s top batsman. Starc was linked with KKR for INR 9.40 crore when the pacer made his last commercial appearance in 2018. Starc also played for RCB in the world’s richest T20 league. The Australian fast bowler has taken 34 wickets in 27 IPL matches. Starc’s Australian teammate Pat Cummins was sold to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for a staggering INR 20.50 crore in the Dubai market.
‘Someone else will pay’
“He has helped our home bowlers a lot because they are all very talented and you need someone to help them in the middle and Starc covers the bases. It is not just about his bowling, but also leading the attack and helping all the guys around him. So, someone will pay,” added the former KKR captain.
‘KKR have enough options’
KKR’s bowling attack will also be led by Varun Chakaravarthy, Chetan Sakariya, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Gus Atkinson in IPL 2024. According to KKR Gambhir’s icon, the two batsmen have a lot of depth in their bowling line-up following the arrival of KKR. Starc. “We always wanted to have a strong batting line-up and now we have 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 that we can play different combinations and explore the landscape. For me, it has always been about having a strong bowling line-up versus a very strong batting line-up,” Gambhir concluded.
