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Popular Bollywood actor and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner Shah Rukh Khan jokingly compared himself with former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni. He mentioned how he and Dhoni continue to be part of the IPL, despite constant speculation about their future in the league.
At a recent award show, Shah Rukh Khan spoke about how sporting legends Roger Federer, Sunil Chhetri and Sachin Tendulkar retired from their respective sports at the right time. He said (via @AwaaraHoon):
"The biggest thing about legends… unki khasiyat ye hoti hai ki legends ko maalum hota hai, when to stop, when to retire. Like the great Sachin Tendulkar, like Sunil Chhetri—the footballer, like Roger Federer—the great tennis star. They all know when to retire, and I think it’s time you did too. So please go back. Thank you very much."
When asked by Bollywood produced-director Karan Johar about why he hasn't retired yet, Shah Rukh Khan replied:
"Actually main doosre kisam ka legendary hoon. Main aur Dhoni ek kisam ke legends hai. Na na kar ke bhi 10 baar IPL khel jaate hai."
You can watch the video of the incident below:
It is worth mentioning that MS Dhoni is yet to make an official announcement regarding his IPL future. He had mentioned that he would take a call once the retention rules were out ahead of the mega auction.
CSK will now be able to retain Dhoni as an uncapped player, with the BCCI bringing back the old rule where an Indian player will be considered an uncapped player if he hasn't featured in international cricket in the past five years.
"An elder brother figure for us" - When Venkatesh Iyer lauded Shah Rukh Khan for being a fantastic franchise owner
The Shreyas Iyer-led KKR were on a roll in the IPL 2024. The side trumped Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the final, clinching their third title.
Speaking after their win over SRH in Qualifier 1, KKR all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer mentioned that Shah Rukh Khan was like an elder brother to everyone on the Kolkata side. He said in a video posted on the IPL website:
"I think it speaks volumes of the man that he is. We have seen him in the big screen, mesmerising people with his aura. But to not just be an owner of a franchise, but to be an elder brother figure for us, he guides us constantly. I think his pep talk not only lifted me, but for someone like Nitish Rana, who was dealing with an injury and to perform is a really big task. I think you will not be able to hear me now because he is here, but he is a great great franchise owner."
With former mentor Gautam Gambhir parting ways with the team to become the head coach of Team India, KKR have roped in former West Indian all-rounder Dwayne Bravo for a mentorship role ahead of IPL 2025.
