A Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) fan expressed heartfelt emotions during a fan interaction event organized by the franchise in Kolkata on Friday, May 10, directed towards the team's mentor Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir recently returned to KKR as a mentor after serving two seasons with Lucknow Super Giants in the same role. Under Gambhir's leadership, KKR secured two IPL titles in 2012 and 2014 but has since been unable to clinch the trophy.

In a video shared by Kolkata Knight Riders on its social media handle, the fan pleaded with Gambhir not to leave the franchise, expressing how much they missed his presence since KKR's last IPL title in 2014. The fan's emotional message included a dedication of a Bengali song to Gambhir, symbolizing their desire for him to stay with the team.

Watch video here:

"I'm one of your biggest fans. Just want to say, please don't leave us again. It's difficult to describe in words how much we were hurt after you left us. I want to dedicate a Bengali song to you. We will keep you here. Please don't leave us forever," the fan expressed emotionally.

Gautam Gambhir played a pivotal role in KKR's success from 2011 to 2017 before moving to Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) for his final IPL season in 2018. During his IPL career, Gambhir amassed 4217 runs with 36 fifties at an average of 31.24 and a strike rate of 123.88 in 154 matches.

Under Gambhir's mentorship and the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer, KKR has shown a significant turnaround in IPL 2024 compared to previous seasons. After failing to qualify for the playoffs in the last two seasons, KKR is currently leading the points table with 8 wins in 11 matches, accumulating 16 points. Their strong performance has positioned them as strong contenders for the IPL trophy this year.