'Being picked by them has changed everything for me' - Ramandeep Singh credits KKR career-changing IPL stint

Hard-hitting batter Ramandeep Singh's time from being released by the Mumbai Indians to becoming a crucial part in the Kolkata Knight Riders' title-winning campaign in 2024 has been nothing short of brilliant. The Chandigarh-born has credited KKR for opening several areas of his game and evolving his career, both technically and mentally.

After being picked by the Mumbai Indians in 2022, Ramandeep’s stint with the five-time champions was brief. He played just five matches before being released ahead of IPL 2024, following Hardik Pandya’s return to MI. Post which, he delivered brilliant performances in the domestic circuit, helping Punjab win the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. It was during this period that KKR, already tracking his progress, secured the all-rounder's services.

"Being picked by KKR has changed everything for me. I still remember that practice match at our pre-season camp before last year's IPL. We needed six runs off two balls, and I cleared the ropes to win the game. GG [Gautam Gambhir, then team mentor] had a long chat with me afterwards. The first thing he told me was: 'we'll back you no matter what'. And I'm glad I was able to back his belief. To be able to get to where I am, a lot of work has gone behind the scenes, and KKR has played a huge part. Abhishek Nayar [former assistant coach] conducted sessions tirelessly in Thane, where he'd make me bat three hours at a go in the nets at times. I'd never batted that long - nets or a match," Ramandeep told ESPNcricinfo.

I got tons of messages, more than usual: Ramandeep

The 27-year-old made an impact as a lower-order finisher in the title-winning season for KKR, scoring 125 runs at a strike rate of over 200. After the season, the right-hander featured in the Men's T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup for India A. During the semi-final game against Afghanistan, he received an India call-up for the four-match T20I series in South Africa. 

"Apparently, after the match, my dad got a call from my coach saying 'congrats', and my dad was like, 'for what, we've lost the semi-final'. He was unaware I'd been selected. When my coach broke the news of my India call-up, my dad started crying. Later, when I finished the game and switched on my phone, I had tons of messages, more than usual. Thoda zyada hi baj raha tha [It was making more noise than usual]. It was an amazing feeling," he said.

Meanwhile, ahead of the IPL 2025 mega-auction, Ramandeep was retained by the Kolkata franchise for INR four crore. However, his current season hasn't been going the way he would have wanted to, scoring 29 runs off 23 balls with a top score of 22, and he is yet to bowl.

"It's a confidence booster to be retained. Prior to the auction, a lot of teams told me 'don't get retained, we'll pick you, we're ready to go up to 9-10 crore. ' But loyalty matters a lot to me. KKR gave me a platform when I needed it the most. I remember around the time retentions were to be decided, Venky [Mysore, KKR chief executive] sir called and said, 'you're in our retention plans, what are you thinking? It's eventually your call - if you were to get into the auction, we'll try and RTM. But I told him I'm happy to get retained. Once you're in the auction, there's no guarantee you'll be in the same team, and I didn't want to leave KKR. For me, a few crores less didn't make a difference. I wanted to respect their word," he concluded.