KKR CEO Venky Mysore recalls dog-fight for Gautam Gambhir in IPL auction
Kolkata Knight Riders are one of the most successful franchises in Indian Premier League history with two title reigns. The Kolkata based franchise clinched the IPL trophy in 2012 and 2014, however, things weren't smooth for them in the intial seasons of the tournament. KKR started the IPL journey with a bang in tournament's first match in 2008 with a 140-run victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore but ended the season with sixth on the points table.
KKR struggled further in the 2009 edition which was held in South Africa and finished at the bottom of the table. The things didn't change much in 2010 as they failed to qualify for the Play-offs for the successive third time and finished sixth.
The Kolkata-based franchise rejuvenated in the 2011 edition with massive changes in the team. Veteran Indian opener Gautam Gambhir was bought in the IPL auction for massive USD 2.4 million. The southpaw changed led the team to Play-offs in his first season and in the next year lifted the trophy for the first time. Gambhir's KKR won the title for the second time in 2014.
KKR CEO Venky Mysore recalled his first auction in Kolkata's camp, where they decided to go big to buy Gambhir.
“Obviously, I didn’t know Gautam Gambhir at all, before we picked him. There were a lot of unforgettable moments in KKR’s history as far as I am concerned. The first auction that I was going to in 2011, we had made our plans. With me, one of the things I always drive is that we are not always fixated on one plan. We have plan A, plan B, Plan C because that is the capricious nature of the auctions," Mysore said on ‘The RK Show’ on Youtube.
“I thought we were very well prepared but still we were quite nervous. It was my first auction, and I was sitting there. The owners took a call that this is your baby, your project, you run it, your plan, you go and execute. That has been the thing with KKR ever since I have been involved.
Venky said co-owner Jay Mehta and his wife Juhi Chawla didn't interfere in his decision making and gave them full freedom in the auction.
“Jay and Juhi - they come and sit at the table. But they don’t get involved with making any decisions at the table. We brief them completely, we have discussions and they have their own ideas. Ultimately, they say it is your call. You guys have thought it through more than we can,” Mysore explained.
“I was sitting there, and I was hoping, and I was saying my prayers and my heart was beating. I was seeing the most familiar faces of other teams and their ownerships and they were all occupying their respective tables. Then I was saying to myself, this is like a warm-up... like a batsman takes a few knock-downs when they come to bat. So, I was thinking to let a few names come to the auctions that we are not interested in and see what happens.
“Lo and behold, the first name in 2011 auctions Gautam Gambhir - the very first name that came in. It was unbelievable. We were quite determined. We had budgets and circuit break-up pricing in our strategies.
The KKR CEO further recalled the auction ceremony and said it was dog-fight for Gambhir as the Kochi team was equally motivated to buy him.
“My instinct said that it was the right thing to do. Even though it exceeded our circuit break-up because the Kochi team was equally motivated. There was a dog-fight for that. The rest is history,” Mysore signed off.
