Gautam Gambhir has officially left the Lucknow Super Giants IPL franchise to rejoin the Kolkata Knight Riders, a team he led to two titles. KKR’s CEO Venky Mysore announced Gambhir’s return and assigned him the role of mentor. Knight Riders’ co-owner Shah Rukh Khan welcomed Gambhir’s comeback, referring to him as their captain. After serving as LSG’s mentor for two years, Gambhir bid farewell on Twitter, expressing gratitude to everyone who made his time with Lucknow memorable. In his return statement, he expressed excitement about wearing the purple and gold jersey again and emphasized his connection to the city of joy. Shah Rukh Khan welcomed Gambhir back as a mentor, anticipating a positive impact on Team KKR.

In another post, Gambhir shared that he has rejoined the Knight Riders. Speaking on his return, Gambhir said, “This is back to where it all started. Today, there is a lump in my throat and fire in my heart as I think about slipping into that purple and gold jersey once again. I am not only coming back to KKR but I am coming back to the city of joy. I am back. I am hungry. I am number 23. Ami KKR.”

Welcoming Gambhir back to KKR, Shah Rukh said: “Gautam has always been part of the family, and this is our Captain coming back home in a different avatar as a ‘Mentor.’ He was sorely missed, and now we all look forward to Chandu Sir and Gautam instilling the never-say-die spirit and sportsmanship they stand for, creating magic with Team KKR.