'Someone I can take a bullet for, someone who I can trust for life' - Gautam Gambhir lauds ex-KKR teammate's attribute of selflessness

Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir was a critical component and the skipper of the Kolkata Knight Riders from 2011 to 2017, and had led the franchise to their two IPL truimphs in 2012 and 2014, respectively. The cricketing icon is known for his never-say-die attitude as well as his profound passion for the game, coupled with being a charismatic leader on the pitch.

KKR went through a couple of subpar seasons (2022 and 2023) after being the runners-up in the 2021 edition. In search of repeating past glories, Gambhir has been called up for the role of being a mentor for the group.

Ahead of IPL 2024, Gambhir interacted with the media where he mentioned the former KKR player and Dutch international Ryan ten Doeschate as the "greatest team man" he had ever come across. He reminisced about his time at KKR back in the day, stating that in 2011 when he was captaining the franchise for the very first time, there were only four overseas players available for selection, stating the fact that ten Doeschate had had a remarkable World Cup campaign, with the man from the Netherlands accumulating 307 runs with the bat in six innings, coupled with seven priceless wickets during the campaign.

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Gambhir revealed that in that very game, ten Doeschate couldn't make the cut and could be seen carrying drinks for the team with absolutely no signs of displeasure on his face. Gambhir also went as far as saying that he could take a bullet for the Dutch cricketer and could trust him with his life for how benevolent and unselfish he was. 

“When I talk about selflessness, I have never said this in 42 years of my career, and I wanted to say this. The greatest team man I have ever played with, the most selfless human being, someone I can take a bullet for, someone who I can trust for life, and I can tell you this because in 2011, for my first game as a KKR captain, we only had four overseas players available, and this man had a fabulous 50-over World Cup. We went in that game with only three overseas players, and he was carrying drinks in that game with no disappointment on his face. He taught me selflessness. Ryan ten Doeschate. These are the people who made me the leader," Gambhir revealed.

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KKR to face SRH to kick off their IPL 2024 campaign

Match 3 of IPL 2024 will see KKR playing SRH at the scenic Eden Gardens in Kolkata on March 23, which will be both franchises' first game of the season. The teams will look to better their performances from last season, with KKR finishing in seventh place and SRH at the bottom of the pile at 10th.