Gautam Gambhir, a renowned figure in the cricketing world, made a significant impact by transforming the fortunes of the Kolkata Knight Riders, a team that previously struggled in the lower ranks of the points table. This season, under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer and the mentorship of Gambhir, the team has achieved remarkable success, ascending to the top of the table. During his appearance on R Ashwin's YouTube show, "Kutti Stories with Ash," Gautam Gambhir addressed various topics, including his stint as captain of KKR. 

Gautam Gambhir made a huge statement regarding his hug with Virat Kohli 

In a lighthearted jab at the "Fairplay awards" given in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Gautam Gambhir said that the team he is a part of will always finish last in the standings during an interview with R Ashwin on his YouTube channel.

The Fairplay award is given to a team based on their on-field performance during the season; at the moment, Kolkata Knight Riders are ranked ninth in this category.

“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 Ashwin.

Ashwin replied: “I don’t want the Fairplay award.”

“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,” said Gambhir

“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,” he added.

Ashwin drew a parallel from the Indian education system, stating that top-performing kids were frequently awarded such awards. He commented:

“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.”

Gambhir 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.”

“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,”

In addition, Gambhir brought up the recent embrace he had with Virat Kohli at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, hilariously emphasising that the team's performance was not enhanced by the gesture alone. Gautam Gambhir added: 

“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 of 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,” 

“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 Fairplay award,”

On Tuesday, May 21, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, KKR and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will play in the Qualifier 1 match.