Gautam Gambhir as KKR skipper had massive influence on me, reveals Kuldeep Yadav

After having underperformed big time in the first three seasons despite boasting of one of the best squads in the competition, KKR went for a massive overhaul in the Mega Auction in 2010, something that also included purchasing and appointing Gautam Gambhir as the franchise’s skipper. The move paid instant dividends as the southpaw led the club to its maiden IPL title in just his second season as captain, and then, two years later in 2014, helped them win their second title.

A hallmark of Gambhir’s captaincy was the confidence he injected and the trust he put on the younger players in the team, and wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav also attested to the same. Kuldeep, who joined the KKR franchise as a 22-year-old back in 2016, revealed how Gambhir had an immeasurable impact on his IPL career and added that the southpaw would take it upon himself to keep the youngsters in the team, including Kuldeep himself, motivated all the time.

"Gauti bhai had a huge influence on me from the start of my stint at KKR. He always spoke to me a lot. Not only during the time he was at KKR, but even after that, over these last two years," Kuldeep was quoted as saying by the franchise's website.

"He always kept me motivated. When you get that kind of confidence from your captain, it becomes a huge plus point for any player. It helps you remain confident, and that translates into good performances."

Gambhir aside, Kuldeep also revealed that he was helped by the legendary Wasim Akram, who served as the mentor of the Knight Riders side during the wrist-spinner’s early days at the franchise. The 25-year-old revealed that he would sit in the dug-out and pick Akram’s brain and also said that the legendary Pakistani pacer helped him a great deal in toughening him up mentally.

"Wasim sir used to like me a lot too. He didn't speak much about bowling, but he prepared me a lot in terms of mentally taking on the game. He prepared me to take on different situations in different ways, and taught me how to react when batsmen put you under pressure," said Kuldeep.

"When he was at KKR, I used to sit with him and pick his brain a lot. I used to sit next to him in the dugout during matches and ask questions about real-time situations."