Ryan ten Doeschate the greatest team man I have ever played with: Gautam Gambhir during KKR jersey launch for IPL 2024

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) mentor Gautam Gambhir has termed former Netherlands cricketer Ryan ten Doeschate as the greatest team man he has ever played with. Gambhir said that he learned the virtue of selflessness from Ten Doeschate during the latter's stint with KKR in the IPL.

Ten Doeschate was signed by KKR at the IPL 2011 auction, becoming the first associate player to be awarded a contract in the Indian T20 league. He represented the Kolkata franchise from 2011 to 2015, scoring 326 runs and claiming two wickets.

At the KKR jersey launch event for IPL 2024, Gambhir hailed Ten Doeschate and said:

"When I talk about selflessness, the greatest team man I have ever played with, the most selfless human being, someone I can take a bullet for, someone I can trust for life ... In 2011, my first game as a KKR captain, we only had four overseas players available. This man had a fabulous 50-over World Cup."

"We went into that game with only three overseas players. He was carrying drinks in that game with no disappointment on his face. He taught me selflessness - Ryan ten Doeschate. These are people who taught me to be a leader," Gambhir added.

In November 2022, Ten Doeschate was appointed the fielding coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders.

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"KKR made me a successful leader" - Gautam Gambhir

Giving a passionate speech during KKR's jersey launch event for IPL 2024, Gambhir named the West Indies duo Andre Russell and Sunil Narine as two people from whom he learned a lot.

The former Kolkata captain said that he got to learn a lot about being a leader from Russell.

"I did not make KKR successful. It was KKR that made me a successful leader. KKR for me was never about purple and gold and that two stars which you see on the jersey. It was far more beyond that. First, KKR meant passion, KKR meant honesty, it meant sacrifice and selflessness," Gambhir said.

"There is this young man, who had put his body on the line every time he's gone on to the cricket field and wore this jersey - Dre Russ (Andre Russell). He taught me a lot of things as a leader," he added.

The 42-year-old went on to hail Narine for coming up trumps despite many setbacks like being banned over his action and having to get it remodeled.

"When I talk about sacrifice, this young, shy boy who came in 2012, did not utter a word.

"I had seen his struggles; he has gone through so much in this jersey. From being reported to being banned from playing the Champions League final to remodeling his action, coming back and doing the same stuff year after year. That is Sunil Narine," Gambhir said.

The former India opener played 154 games for KKR, scoring 4,217 runs at an average of 31.24 and a strike rate of 123.88, with 36 half-centuries.