Gautam Gambhir, the former Indian opener, has chosen to take a break from his political career to concentrate on the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season.
Gambhir is set to take on the role of a mentor for his former IPL team, the Kolkata Knight Riders, in the upcoming IPL 2024 season. In a recent update on Saturday (March 2), he shared on X (formerly Twitter) that he had reached out to BJP president JP Nadda, expressing his desire to step back from his political responsibilities. This move is aimed at allowing him to fully concentrate on his upcoming cricket engagements.
Having ventured into the realm of politics in 2019, he successfully contested and won the Lok Sabha Elections from East Delhi. Triumphing over Congress’ Arvinder Singh Lovely by an impressive margin of 3.91 lakh votes, he secured his position as a Member of Parliament for the first time. Despite expectations of his participation in the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections, Gautam Gambhir has decided to prioritize his commitments to cricket.
“I have requested Hon’ble Party President @JPNadda ji to relieve me of my political duties so that I can focus on my upcoming cricket commitments. I sincerely thank Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji and Hon’ble HM @AmitShah ji for giving me the opportunity to serve the people. Jai Hind!” he wrote on his Twitter handle.
Gautam Gambhir is set to make a comeback to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad after serving as a mentor for the Lucknow Super Giants in the past two IPL seasons. Returning to his former team, Gambhir, who had a remarkable stint with KKR as both a player and a leader from 2011 to 2017, is gearing up for the upcoming IPL season.
During his time with KKR, Gambhir not only showcased his playing skills but also captained the team, guiding them to notable achievements. Under his leadership, KKR made their first-ever playoff appearance in 2011 and secured their maiden IPL title in 2012. In 2014, he led the team to their second IPL trophy.
Despite the two-time IPL champions not clinching the title since then, there is optimism that Gambhir’s return could bring about a change in their fortunes. The IPL 2024 is set to kick off on March 22, with KKR beginning their campaign on March 23 against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
