Gambhir’s absence in KKR felt dearly by Harshit Rana, who feels that the side are missing his aura in key moments.
Gambhir’s absence has been missed by KKR pacer Harshit Rana.
With Gambhir, their previous captain, serving as a key member of the coaching staff and acting as a “mentor,” KKR won the IPL 2024 championship. When he started his current position as India’s head coach in July of last year, he left the team, and Dwayne Bravo, who holds the same position, essentially took his place.
Chandrakant Pandit is still the head coach of KKR, and Abhishek Nayar has rejoined the team this season after leaving his role as India’s batting coach.
“The support staff is basically the same and even Nayar bhai is back,” Harshit said. “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 [Pandit] sir, Nayar bhai, Bravo. We are getting the kind of environment we want.
“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.”
In the last six months, Harshit, who was kept as an uncapped player before the November mega-auction, has earned his India debuts in all three international forms while playing for Gambhir. Although KKR’s support staff has been successful in creating a positive atmosphere this season, he acknowledged that he has missed Gambhir’s presence.
“I wasn’t talking about anything personal. But you also know, he has an aura in the way he carries the team forward. I was just talking about that.”