Kolkata Knight Riders mentor Gautam Gambhir has claimed that Mitchell Starc will be an X-factor for the two-time champions during the upcoming IPL 2024 season.
Starc, who is set to make his return to the IPL after a long 9-year gap, was bought by KKR for a whopping 24.75 crores after a big bidding war with the Gujarat Titans. The left-arm pacer was previously bought by KKR during the 2018 auction when he was bought for 9.4 crore rupees.
Speaking after reaching Kolkata on Thursday ahead of the new season, Gambhir said that the price tag won’t be an added pressure for Starc.
“I don’t think the price tag will be an added pressure for him. I only hope he can do for KKR what he does for Australia in international cricket,” said Gambhir.
In the two seasons Starc played before his IPL hiatus, the left-arm pacer picked up a total of 34 wickets while playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
KKR is an emotion for me: Gambhir
For Gambhir, it was an emotional homecoming on Thursday as the former opener returned to the franchise ahead of the new season. Gambhir had been the mentor of LSG for the past two seasons and made the decision to come to KKR.
Speaking after reaching Kolkata, Gambhir said that KKR has been an emotion to him and he is happy to be back with the side. Gambhir said that he is aware of the expectations and will be hoping to live up to them.
“I have always mentioned that KKR to me is not a franchise, but an emotion. I am thus happy to be back,”
“I know there will be expectations and I hope to live up to it and make the fans happy,” said Gambhir.
KKR will begin their campaign at the Eden Gardens on March 23 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. They will be playing only three matches in the first phase of the IPL 2024 campaign.
