Gambhir named Lucknow IPL team mentor, says 'Fire to win still burns bright inside me'

Mumbai: Ex-cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir on Saturday confirmed that he has been appointed as the mentor for new IPL franchise Lucknow for the upcoming season. Gambhir thanked the yet-to-be-named franchise in a statement issued by him.

“Thanks a lot to Dr Goenka and the RPSG Group for presenting me this wonderful opportunity in their setup.

“The fire to win a contest still burns bright inside me, the desire to leave a winner’s legacy still kicks me 24×7. I will not be contesting for a dressing room but for the spirit and soul of Uttar Pradesh,” Gambhir said in a statement.

“Gautam has an impeccable career record. I respect his cricketing mind and look forward to working with him,” the RPSG Group owner said.

The two-time IPL champion is one of the top run-getters in the history of the league. He has amassed 4217 runs IN 154 games at 31.23 with 36 fifties to finish as the 10th-most successful batter.

He has also led KKR to the title two times in 2012 and 2014. He played a crucial role as a key batter who got the side good starts and as a leader where he used his bowlers judiciously. This could turn out to be a smart move from Lucknow who would be debuting in IPL 2022.