At a Glance
- KKR had plenty of attention from the start due to Bollywood connections
- The Gambhir era saw KKR win two titles in the 2010s
- Gambhir’s return as mentor saw KKR find glory again
The Kolkata Knight Riders have seen better times than the season they’re currently enduring. One of the original eight Indian Premier League franchises founded in 2008, KKR had the spotlight on them from start. It was Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan that owned the franchise, ensuring eyeballs right from day one.
The incredible marketability would eventually translate to performances on the pitch after a few tumultuous years at the start. But not even Bollywood’s biggest names could have scripted a better first game.
Dream Day 1 for Kolkata Knight Riders and What Followed
The first-ever IPL game saw KKR take on RCB at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. And the Knight Riders would set the tone for years to come. Their Kiwi opener Brendon McCullum blew away the RCB bowlers to score 158 as KKR scored 222/3 in their 20 overs. Their bowlers followed this up by bowling RCB out for just 82 runs.
The rest of the season proved less memorable for the team as they finished sixth with six wins from 14 matches. The following two campaigns were similarly disappointing, ending eighth in 2009 and sixth again in 2010. However, signs of improvement finally began to emerge in 2011.
The Gautam Gambhir Era
Kolkata bought Gautam Gambhir at the 2011 auction, making him the then-highest paid cricketer in the IPL. The signing was one that would eventually alter the franchise’s history with Gambhir being named captain right away.
KKR reached the IPL playoffs for the first time in the 2011 campaign, and it was just a small sign of what was to come. Kolkata would go on to win the 2012 and 2014 editions of the IPL, with the likes of Gambhir, Sunil Narine, Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey and Yusuf Pathan playing a key role in this turnaround. KKR would not see this level of success for a few more years, next reaching the final only in 2021.
Years Away From the Top
The next few seasons represented another lull in the storied history of the Kolkata Knight Riders. Three consecutive playoff appearances between 2016 and 2018 aside, Kolkata didn’t really have any quantifiable success in the IPL.
These years, however, would have more than a few memorable performances, most notably from the likes of Narine and Andre Russell. The duo haven’t played for another franchise since being picked by KKR.
The Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2020s
The current decade has been a mixed bag for most part for the Knight Riders. The lows of an eighth place finish in 2025 was sharply contrasted by the title win in the 2024 campaign.
The early 2020s were an unusual time for cricket across the world. And the IPL was no different. The 2020 season was played in the UAE during a later window. While the 2021 edition began on time and back home in India, the tournament would have to be interrupted midway through thanks to another massive outbreak in COVID-19 cases.
And while the circumstances were unfortunate, KKR would make the most of the break, coming back strongly in the UAE leg. They won seven of their next nine matches to make the final, having won only two of seven matches in India. The momentum from the run wouldn’t be enough as they fell to the Chennai Super Kings in the final by 27 runs.
Glory wouldn’t be too far away after that heartbreak, however. In one of the most dominant performances by any team in an IPL season, KKR only faced three defeats in 14 games before beating SRH twice in the playoffs to finish the 2024 campaign as champions.
Sunil Narine had developed into a much sought-after all-rounder in the years leading up to this edition. He would be KKR’s top-scorer, while Varun Chakravarthy topped the wicket-taking charts that year. All this in a season that Gautam Gambhir returned to the franchise he once captained, this time as mentor.
What’s next for KKR?
The 2025 and 2026 IPL seasons have not had much for KKR to write home about but there is enough for the fans to be optimistic about. With youngsters like Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Harshit Rana in their ranks, it’s only a matter of time before they get back to the top.
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