Kolkata became the first team to qualify for the IPL 2024 playoffs. After being a mid-table struggler in the last few seasons, KKR has been the team to beat this season. And it’s no coincidence that Gautam Gambhir returned to the side as their mentor. Under Gambhir, KKR played like champions and won two titles -- in 2012 and 2014.

However, a few pundits, including the legendary Sunil Gavaskar, have questioned if giving all the credit to Gautam Gambhir is fair. Ian Bishop, former West Indies pacer, made it a point to mention Shreyas Iyer’s brilliant captaincy in IPL 2024. Then, there is Chandrakant Pandit, who is a domestic doyen when it comes to coaching. It is a combined effort, but there’s no doubt that Gambhir’s return has made it tick for the Knight Riders.

Are they capable of going all the way? Do they have any chinks in their armour? If they go all the way and win their 3rd title, will they retain Shreyas Iyer for the next season? Who will be their retentions, considering they have had a strong core over the years? Will they keep faith in the likes of Andre Russell and Sunil Narine?

Meanwhile, MI is out of the playoffs race. They look disoriented, and their former captain, Rohit Sharma, looks disinterested. Is it time for Rohit to leave the franchise? Will KKR be his new home in 2025?

Before all that, India would want Rohit Sharma to regain form and lead well at the T20 World Cup.

Join Akshay Ramesh, Alan Jose John and Kingshuk Kusari as they discuss KKR’s rise and Rohit Sharma’s concerning form in the latest episode of the Sledging Room Podcast.

Produced & Mixed By: Kapil Dev Singh