The former Indian legspinner, Piyush Chawla joined KKR before the IPL 2014, and he turned out to be a lucky charm as the team secured their second trophy in three years. Recently he has opened up Gautam Gambhir and the KKR victory.
Chawla on Who Deserves Credit for KKR’s 2014 Win
In a YouTube show called ‘2 Sloggers,’ Piyush Chawla was asked how KKR managed to win the title despite being in a tough spot, and who should get the credit for that. While the host mentioned Gautam Gambhir’s role, Chawla insisted that every player played a part in KKR’s memorable victory.
“Gautam Gambhir might seem angry on the field, but he’s really smart off the field, which is his best quality. You can’t just call it anger; it’s his passion and drive. Some players show it openly, while others don’t,” Chawla explained about Gambhir’s demeanor.
“But when you win a tournament by winning nine matches in a row, no single player can take all the credit. Everyone made contributions at different times,” Chawla said.
The 35-year-old also highlighted the roles of various players, including the three spinners, and praised Robin Uthappa for having a great season with the bat, as well as Gambhir for being consistent later on.
“In that 2014 season, we played with three spinners—me (Piyush Chawla), Sunil Narine, and Shakib Al Hasan. Sunil didn’t bat, Shakib was a good batsman, and I could bat a bit. Yusuf (Pathan) bowled when needed,” Chawla detailed.
Gambhir and Uthappa Shined for KKR
Gautam Gambhir struggled at the beginning of the IPL 2014 season, often getting low scores. However, he showed great consistency later on and played like a true captain.
Meanwhile, his opening partner, Robin Uthappa, became the season’s highest run-scorer, amassing 660 runs in 16 matches with an average of 44 and a strike rate of 137.78. Uthappa also served as KKR’s wicketkeeper that year.
Kolkata Knight Riders won nine matches in a row to secure the IPL 2014 title. They added one more victory at the start of the next season, giving them a record ten straight wins, which remains unbeaten in IPL history.
