’Only regret’ is Suryakumar Yadav: Gautam Gambhir on why KKR never managed to use SKY ’to the best of his potential’

Gautam Gambhir, the coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), has revealed his greatest regret during his time as the team's captain. The former captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders while speaking to Sportskeeda.com revealed that he never managed to use Suryakumar Yadav to the best of his potential.

Suryakumar Yadav started his career with Mumbai Indians in 2011 and even played a key role in winning the Champions League T20 that year. In 2014, he then moved to KKR for four years. In 2018, Yadav was again bought by MI where he now bats at number 3. 

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Coming back to Gambhir, the KKR coach told Sportskeeda.com, “A leader's role is to identify the best potential and show it to the world."

Speaking on his one regret in his seven years of captaincy, he said, "Me and as a team never managed to use Suryakumar Yadav to the best of his potential. The reason was down to combinations. You can only play one player at No. 3. And as a leader, you have to think about the other 10 players in the XI as well. He would have been way more effective at No. 3, but was equally good at No. 7.”

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Yadav was always willing to contribute to the squad, the KRR coach continued, whether he was benched or played at No. 6 or 7.

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Gambhir furhter believed that Yadav has the ability to excel across all formats and can be dangerous in the ODI format as well. “He has the ability to excel across all formats, and if you make yourself the one-format player, you would have under-achieved in your career. He can be dangerous in the ODI format as well, and I hope he will not make himself a one-format player and keep working hard,” he said as quoted by Sportskeeda.com.

Meanwhile, KKR is first team to qualify for playoff with 19 points from 13 matches.