The Story of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL

Kolkata is one of the biggest cities in India and has played an important role not only in sports but in the entirety of Indian history. It was the capital of our country before New Delhi, is known for the cultural celebrations of Durga Puja, the architectural phenomena like the Howrah Bridge and the Victoria Palace, and has also been the biggest hub for football in the country with two of the biggest football clubs, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal FC native to here. But ever since the launch of the Indian Premier League in 2008, Kolkata is also known for homing one of the best T20 franchises, the Kolkata Knight Riders! The team now has been able to unite the entire city and has created one of the best fan bases for a team. They are not just a cricket team now; they are a symbol of passion, perseverance, and the spirit of Kolkata. For that reason, "Korbo, Lorbo, Jeetbo Re" (we will perform, fight, and win!), the official slogan of KKR, goes beyond just words.

Credit: Quint

In this article by ZAP, let’s explore the story of the Kolkata Knight Riders, their history, the legendary players and the titles and trophies. 

The History – Kolkata Knight Riders Owners:

Credit: ESPNcricinfo

The franchise was one of the teams for the inaugural season of the IPL. The team was purchased by the famous Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan through his Red Chillies Entertainment and Juhi Chawla and her husband, Jay Mehta. They bought the team for around $75 million, about Rs. 625 Crore in today’s value. The team was named after the famous Television Series Knight Riders. They started by selecting Sourav Ganguly, Dada, as the icon player. This went very well with the fans because Dada, who hailed from Bengal, was going to lead their team. 

Read More: Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne, the icon players for Mumbai Indian and Rajasthan

The owners of KKR have increased their holdings in cricket over the years too, acquiring stakes in teams such as the Caribbean's Trinbago Knight Riders and even branching out into T20 competitions in South Africa and the United States. The CEO of KKR, Venky Mysore, announced the team's 2021 entry into the South African T20 competition and indicated interest in The Hundred, the new cricket format from England. 

Kolkata Knight Riders IPL Journey:

KKR have had ups and downs throughout their journey in the IPL. In the first few seasons, they were a poor team and couldn’t once finish in the playoffs. Then, they appointed Gautam Gambhir as the captain of the team, which changed the franchise's fortunes. He led the captaincy with an aggressive attitude, turned things around, and made it to the playoffs for the first time. They went on to win their maiden IPL trophy in 2012 after beating MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings in the IPL Finals. In 2014, they pulled off one of the biggest run chases to beat King XI Punjab in the 2014 final. Then, until 2021, they have average performance, not having a fixed core, with multiple captains like Dinesh Karthik and Eoin Morgan leading the team, but without any silverware. In 2021, they gamed back from behind after a crumbling start to the season to finish at the top of the table with Shubman Gill, Venkatesh Iyer, and Andre Russel all firing. They faced Chennai Super Kings in the final but couldn’t win it, but nevertheless, it was an inspiring campaign. 

Credit: Rediff

Kolkata Knight Riders IPL Trophies:

Year	League Standing	Final Standing
2008	6th out of 8	League stage
2009	8th out of 8	League stage
2010	6th out of 8	League stage
2011	4th out of 10	Playoffs
2012	2nd out of 9	Champions
2013	7th out of 9	League stage
2014	2nd out of 8	Champions
2015	5th out of 8	League stage
2016	4th out of 8	Playoffs
2017	3rd out of 8	Playoffs
2018	3rd out of 8	Playoffs
2019	5th out of 8	League stage
2020	5th out of 8	League stage
2021	4th out of 8	Runners-up
2022	7th out of 10	League stage
2023	7th out of 10	League stage

Kolkata Knight Riders Cricket Team Players and Legends:

One of the key reasons for KKR's success has been its team culture and spirit. They have always been a team that has fought until the very end. This was evident in their 2012 and 2014 winning campaigns, where they came back from difficult positions to win the title.

KKR has also had some of the biggest names in the IPL playing for them over the years, including Gautam Gambhir, Jacques Kallis, Sunil Narine, and Andre Russell. Many more legends and youngsters, like Brendon McCullum, Chris Gayle, Nitish Rana, and Venkatesh Iyer have played for the Kolkata Knight Riders team. 

Gautam Gambhir – KKR’s Most Successful Captain:

Credit: Wisden

Gautam Gambhir started his IPL journey as a player with Delhi Capitals but then made his way to the KKR team and was appointed captain in the 2011 season. Most people agree that Gautam Gambhir is the best captain in Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) history. In 2012 and 2014, KKR won their first two IPL championships under his leadership. Gambhir scored more than 3,000 runs for the team in 121 games, becoming one of the highest run scorers for the team.

Gambhir's aggressive and attacking style of captaincy was his quality. He was also a master at reading the game well and making proper bowling changes. Also, he was a captain who backed his underperforming players by creating a very positive and supportive team environment. An example of this can be Manvinder Bisla in 2012; he wasn't very good with the bat the entire season but was the man of the match in the Final vs CSK. 

Jacques Kallis:

Credit: Wisden

Jacques Kallis was the leader of the team without the captain’s tag. He was one of the most experienced and important players in their history. He joined the KKR team in 2011 and later rose to the position of head coach and mentor. During his time as a player, his contributions with both the bat and the ball were crucial. His on-field leadership often helped Gambhir make the right fielding position decisions and strategic changes. In both KKR's 2012 and 2014 IPL championship victories, Kallis was a major contributor. In both seasons, he led the squad in runs scored and contributed significant wickets. As head coach, Kallis led KKR to three successive playoff appearances from 2016 to 2018. He was also responsible for developing young players such as Shubman Gill and Nitish Rana. Kallis left KKR in 2019, but his legacy continues to live on.

Sunil Narine:

Credit: The Times of India

Sunil Narine has been one of the best players to play for the Kolkata Knight Riders team. He joined the team in 2012 and, in his debut IPL season, picked up 26 wickets. His mystery spin bowling and spin bowling variations was unplayable for batsmen and was key in KKR’s win in both 2012 and 2014. He was also one of the team’s best batsmen, using his pinch-hitting ability as an opener during the 2016-2018 season. 

Andre Russel:

Credit: ESPNcricinfo

Andre Russell is like the cricket player that every team wants in their team. He is the perfect all-rounder who can bat, hit huge sixes and destroy the opposition bowling lineup whenever he comes into bat. And then later, he can bowl fast with the ball consistently reaching speed of upto 130 kmph, making him one of the most valuable asset for KKR. He is the one player who can change the course of the match with both the bat and the ball. His form during the 2017-2020 season was his peak, and we can even say he was the best player in the league in those editions. And his habit of bashing RCB bowlers all around the ground added fuel to the fire in the rivalry between RCB and KKR. He has scored over 2000 runs and taken over 90 wickets for the franchise in the IPL. In addition to his match-winning performances, Russell is also a very popular player among the KKR fans because of his passion and commitment to the team. He has been plagued with injuries in recent seasons, but the KKR hierarchy has continued to support him with his special medical rehabilitation and treatment.

Read about Some More IPL Legends:

Virat Kohli | Rohit Sharma | Suresh Raina | AB de Villiers

Kolkata Knight Riders 2023 (KKR) Squad:

Credit: Sportskeeda

Name	Nationality	Role
Nitish Rana	India	Batsman
Rinku Singh	India	Batsman
Mandeep Singh	India	Batsman
Jason Roy	England	Batsman
Aarya Desai	India	Batsman
Litton Das	Bangladesh	Wicket-keeper
N. Jagadeesan	India	Wicket-keeper
Rahmanullah Gurbaz	Afghanistan	Wicket-keeper
Anukul Roy	India	All-rounder
Andre Russell	West Indies	All-rounder
Venkatesh Iyer	India	All-rounder
Sunil Narine	West Indies	All-rounder
David Wiese	Namibia	All-rounder
Umesh Yadav	India	Bowler
Tim Southee	New Zealand	Bowler
Harshit Rana	India	Bowler
Kulwant Khejroliya	India	Bowler
Lockie Ferguson	New Zealand	Bowler
Shardul Thakur	India	Bowler
Vaibhav Arora	India	Bowler
Varun Chakravarthy	India	Bowler
Suyash Sharma	India	Bowler
Shreyas Iyer	India	Batsman
Shakib Al Hasan	Bangladesh	All-rounder

Kolkata Knight Riders Home Ground:

Credit: India Fantasy

The Eden Gardens in Kolkata, is one of the biggest cricket ground in India and is the home ground of the Kolkata Knight Riders. The stadium, along with its history, is the beacon of all cricket activities in West Bengal. The atmosphere at the stadium is electric, and the crowds are incredibly passionate and supportive. This gives KKR a significant home advantage, and it is one of the reasons why they have been so successful over the years.

Read about the Home Grounds of some other IPL Teams:

Wankhede Stadium | Chinnaswamy Stadium | Narendra Modi Stadium | MCA Stadium, Pune

Kolkata Knight Riders Jersey, Logo:

Credit: Wikimedia Images

The Kolkata Knight Riders jersey is one of the most recognizable jerseys in the IPL. The jersey colour is a unique purple with gold accents. These are the colours that represent the Kolkata Royalty. The t-shirt has evolved over the years, with changes in designs, but it has retained the purple and gold colours. The logo, too, is nothing short of iconic. The knight’s helmet and shield logo are symbolic of the team's values of courage, strength and determination. 

Kolkata Knight Riders Iconic IPL Rivalries:

Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians (KKR vs MI):

Credit: The Times of India

The Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders are two teams that play in the two huge Indian Cities: Mumbai and Kolkata, respectively. With five titles, the Mumbai Indians are the most successful IPL team; however, prior to Mumbai's third title in 2017, both franchises were tied with two titles. Mumbai dominated and won every game during the first two IPL seasons. It was not until the 2010 IPL Season that Kolkata won against Mumbai. Another reason for this rivalry is because both teams at the start of the tournament were captained by the legends of the Indian Cricket Team, Mumbai By Sachin Tendulkar and Kolkata by Sourav Ganguly.  Though Mumbai has always had the upper hand in the rivalry, winning 22 of the 29 and KKR with only 7 but the matches they play are pure entertainment.

Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (KKR vs RCB):

Credit: ABP News

One of the IPL's oldest rivalries is that between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore. The two teams competed in the first-ever IPL match, which KKR won by 140 runs thanks to a 158* onslaught from Brendon McCullum off just 73 balls. And ever since, the Bengaluru fans have been bitter about that loss, which has added taste to the rivalry. The two teams are a delight to witness at the pinnacle of the game, whether it be in routine league encounters, which are honestly never routine, or high-profile playoff contests. In 32 IPL games, Bangalore and Kolkata have faced off, Bangalore has triumphed in 14 while Kolkata has won 18 of them.

Conclusion:

The Kolkata Knight Riders have been one of the best teams in the IPL with 2 Trophies. In the past few seasons, their performances haven’t been up to the standard. But now, in the previous two seasons, KKR has tried to build up their squad with younger uncapped players like Rinku Singh, and Suyash Sharma and an experienced Indian coach Chandrakant Pandit, who won a historic First Class Ranji Trophy title with Madhya Pradesh. However the team does in the next season, KKR fans will always cheer for the team with their heart-thumping chant of "Korbo, Lorbo, Jeetbo Re".

Now that you've read and know about the Kolkata Knight Riders in depth, here are some more articles we recommend reading that will take your knowledge of the game to the next level. 

Cricket Rules | Decision Review System | Origin and History of Cricket