'Can I bring my girlfriend to IPL?' - Gautam Gambhir reveals first interaction with Sunil Narine at KKR camp

Sunil Narine has been an integral part of the Kolkata Knight Riders camp in the Indian Premier League for 12 years. The Caribbean has been delivering match-winning performances for the franchise ever since. He was constantly backed by then KKR captain, Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir, who is now the mentor of the same team has revealed Narine’s rapport from his early days with the franchise.

Narine is one of the rare bowlers who exudes calmness even after taking wickets with subdued celebration. Gambhir who led the Kolkata-based franchise to two championship titles in 2012 and 2014, revealed that Narine was a shy person and did not speak much. He also added that Narine even asked him whether he could bring his girlfriend to the IPL. 

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"Me and Narine are similar characters, and so are our emotions. I still remember that when Narine first came into the IPL in 2012, it was in Jaipur, and we were going for practice, and I told him to come join for lunch. He was so shy that he did not say a single word during lunch, and the first question that he eventually asked was, 'Can I bring my girlfriend to the IPL?," said Gambhir as quoted by NDTV Sports. 

"He was so quiet that first season, but now, we can talk about anything. He is like a brother to me. I don't see him as a friend, I don't see him as a teammate, I see him as a brother. If I need him or he needs me, I think we are just one call away, that is the sort of relationship that we have built. We do not get excited much, we do not show too many emotions, we are not flamboyant, we just do the job and come back," he added.

You are looking at his stats but he was KKR's MVP even before the season: Gambhir

Narine won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award in the Indian Premier League 2024. It is worth noting that he has won the MVP award for the third time and it is the most for any player in T20. After being promoted to bat up the order as an opener in IPL 2024, he amassed 488 runs, adding to his 17 wickets as a bowler. Gambhir emphasized that, irrespective of the award, Narine remains a MVP for the team.

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"What can I say about him? Even if he didn't win the 'most valuable player award' he would have still been the MVP. You are looking at his stats but he was KKR's MVP even before the season got underway. The world has seen his talent as an all-rounder and i'm sure that Narine still has plenty of to give to KKR and world cricket," Gambhir further explained.