Gautam Gambhir is a superb thinker of the game strategist. Mitchell Starc

The Kolkata Knight Riders paid 24.75 crore to acquire Mitchell Starc prior to the 2024 Indian Premier League. The Australian pacer only performed well in the knockout stages, when it counted most. In the league stages, he was not very effective. The pacers were then backed to the T by Gautam Gambhir, the KKR mentor, who also professed his amazement at the veteran’s tactical skill.

In 2012 and 2014, Gautam Gambhir guided the club to championship victories.

The former southpaw gave it his all when he was hired as the coach before the 2024 campaign began. Starch, who made his debut for KKR, referred to the former India opener as the game’s greatest thinker. Notably, KKR won their third IPL championship, and Gambhir has always been a member of the victorious squad.

Based on my time in Kolkata, I can say that he is an excellent game thinker. His thoughts are constantly focused on the opposition and how to score runs in a batting attack or get them out in a bowling assault. According to Starc on Star Sports, “it’s not just individual players; it’s always about the team focus and how to get on top of little things that he might see in techniques or in a field placement or anything like that.”

Starc took 17 wickets at an average of 26.11 and a strike rate of 14.76 throughout his 13 games with KKR. He took three important wickets, which helped KKR defeat Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 1.

Also Read: ‘I haven’t received any calls yet’- Nitish Rana shares thoughts about future at Kolkata Knight Riders

With two wickets at a cost of just 14 runs while bowling three overs, he maintained his form in the final. He won Player of the Match in the championship game.