A conversation on Ashwin’s YouTube channel between Gautam Gambhir, the former mentor of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), and Ravichandran Ashwin, witnessed a heated discussion about the ongoing rivalry between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and KKR in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
In 31 IPL matches against CSK since 2008, Kolkata Knight Riders had won 11 while loosing out on 19 occasions against the yellow brigade with one match ending in no result.
According to him, there was hardly any difference in terms of game plan used by Chennai and Kolkata.
“When two strong teams play each other that is what really excites me. I feel somehow these two teams are very much similar. This is not just a grand event,” Gambhir told Ashwin on his Youtube page.
He further came up with same plans for both sides.
“It was like MS Dhoni utilized spinners & we also had three top quality spinners as well. CSK also had three top quality spinners at least at that time when Chepauk or Eden then had almost similar conditions. Then Chepauk is bigger than what Eden is as a ground. Our tactics were quite alike. It made us be at our best from a tactical point of view to beat CSK hence KKR had to be at its best from a tactical perspective in order to beat them every time.” The opener added later
Gambhir returned last November as KKR’s mentor after having done so previously for Lucknow Super Giants during IPLs 2021-22; he represented both KKR and Delhi Capitals in IPL over time and won two titles for KKR as captain in 2012 and 2014.
KKR will lock horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) Tuesday night at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, for a place in the final as part of the Qualifier 1 stage.
