Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) mentor Zaheer Khan rang the bell at the iconic Eden Gardens ahead of the highly-anticipated clash against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Tuesday, April 8.
Zaheer Khan is one of the finest fast bowlers to have represented the Indian team.
He has 610 international wickets, the most by an Indian left-arm bowler. Ahead of the 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), LSG roped in Zaheer as their mentor. Gautam Gambhir served as the mentor of the Lucknow-based franchise in 2022 and 2023 before joining KKR. LSG did not have anyone in that role last season. This was the first time they failed to secure a place in the playoffs.
Iconic moment at an iconic venue
#LSG mentor Zaheer Khan rang the bell at the Eden Gardens to kickstart the #KKRvLSG contest
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https://t.co/3bQPKnxnJs#TATAIPL | @ImZaheer pic.twitter.com/X7SJliCnKs
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 8, 2025
When India’s first World Cup-winning captain, Kapil Dev, performed the honours prior to a Test match between India and New Zealand in September 2016, famous people ringing the bell established a pre-match routine at the Eden Gardens.
Sourav Ganguly, the then-president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), came up with the idea to install a bell at the attractive location. A major match at Eden Gardens would not seem complete without the bell-ringing event, which was inspired by the Lord’s Cricket Ground.
LSG was placed in a dominating position by the openers.
In the afternoon match, Ajinkya Rahane chose to bowl first after winning the toss. However, Aiden Markram took the KKR bowlers to task inside the powerplay. Watchfully, Mitchell Marsh began, but as he got himself situated at the crease, he cut wild.
Harshit Rana gave up a boundary off the first ball of his second over and 16 runs off his first over. He recovered admirably, though, as his off-cutter slipped between Markram’s bat and pad to unsettle the stumps and provide KKR with a crucial breakthrough in the eleventh over.
However, the visitors would be hoping to put up a formidable first-innings total with 99 runs already scored and several dangerous strikers like Nicholas Pooran and David Miller waiting in the wings.
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