Gautam Gambhir said him and the Fairplay Award have failed to strike a deal as despite his ‘best efforts’ this season, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are rock bottom at 10th spot of the league phase of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL).
Fairplay award is given to the team for their on-field conduct during the course of the season.
As Gambhir was speaking to Ravichandran Ashwin, on his YouTube chat show ‘Kutti Stories with Ash’, the discussion veered towards winning trophies as compared to winning popularity contests.
“At the end of the IPL season, you’re going to have an IPL trophy in your hand. Would you prefer that or would you be a popular cricket and not have that trophy?” Gambhir asked.
“I don’t want the Fairplay award,” Ashwin shot back immediately.
Gambhir went on to add: “Someone sent me a message a couple of days ago. KKR is where KKR is at the moment. I said yeah. At the top. ‘In fair play?’ I said number 10. ‘Is there a trophy?’ I said, No.”
“I still don’t understand. What have we done wrong in the last five games? Probably it’s just because I was sitting in the dugout,” Gambhir added.
“I am sure you would have seen this when we used to go to school like the favourite children in the class would get these incentive cards. Yeah. Like the merit cards, well-behaved cards,” Ashwin said.
“Unfortunately, even then I was a backbencher. I was made to sit on the last bench. It’s been going with me since I was a young kid and has continued like that,” Gambhir revealed.
“The moment I am there with any franchise to fairplay award, we are either number nine or 10. Last year LSG was number nine and KKR is number 10. So if you want a Fairplay Award, stay away from me,” he added.
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Gambhir also touched upon his hug with Virat Kohli a year after the two were involved in a heated exchange that forced intervention from other players and match officials.
“Honestly, I believed we will be at the top of the table because of what has happened at Chinnaswamy. I thought, there is no competition, irrespective where are we on the points table but we got to be at the top of the fair play table. We are still at the bottom of the fair play award,” Gambhir said.
“Is that one part of the conversation SRK has had with you. Gambhir, at whatever cost, you are back in the team but I want the Fairplay award?” Ashwin asked.
“Probably you need someone else in the dugout, because you will never have that Fairplay award till I am there. I have done the best I could, to the best of my ability. Still we are number 10 in the fair play award,” Gambhir said.
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