SRK backs KKR for IPL glory

Nothing sets the adrenaline racing as a ‘comeback’ in the Gentleman’s game. If a team looks too far for a revival, our rational response is to believe it’s all over. However, a comeback, and one against all odds, speaks to our irrational side. It is the ultimate fairytale story of failure followed by resurrection and success.
One such team that has made a comeback this season is Kolkata Knight Riders.
In an exclusive interview with iplt20.com, SRK spoke about his team’s revival, friends Hrithik Roshan and Arjun Rampal, and KKR captain Gautam Gambhir.

Pushing back a thick mop of sweat-drenched black hair off his forehead, Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner Shah Rukh Khan couldn’t hide his emotions at the end of a rain-marred win against Chennai Super Kings.
“Today we had luck on our side as our main mascot, Arjun Rampal, is here. Normally, whenever he comes to the stadium our players make about 140 runs. It is also Duggu’s (Hrithik Roshan) first game. So luck is always with us. Today I think Duggu brought a little bit of rain with him and it worked in our favour,” Shah Rukh said.
Hrithik, who was standing beside Arjun and SRK, quipped: “This is the first time I have come to watch a live cricket match in my life. The only thing I was praying [for] was – God, please, let us be happy at the end of the day. And I think somewhere he heard our prayers.”
“Well, I usually support the weak, but in this case I support the strong,” Hrithik added.
Meanwhile, Arjun who turns out in a KKR jersey every season, was ecstatic. “We have been following Kolkata Knight Riders for last three years and we have been very passionate. The atmosphere at the Eden Gardens is always fantastic. The passion that every person in Kolkata has for cricket in unbelievable. It is a very proud feeling to see KKR right at the top.”
“Every year we tell ourselves that next year we will be better. I believe this year is going to be our year,” he said, stealing a glance at SRK.

King Khan interrupted Arjun and delivered one of the most famous lines, “I had this dialogue in Baazigar, ‘Haar ke jeetne wale ko baazigar kehte hain.’ But this year I have changed it to, ‘Jeet ke jeetne wale ko baazigar kehte hain.’ Inshallah, we will win this time,” he said.
“To be honest, all of us who come here to support the team have a film background but we have a huge amount of sportsman spirit. The losses over the last couple of years have never dampened that spirit. It is just that we have felt that the team has not come together in the previous seasons. But those years are behind us. We wanted to start with a clean slate. Like in films, when we don’t get a shot right we start shooting all over again. I think that philosophy and the young leader Gautam [Gambhir] and people like Jaidev Unadkat and L Balaji are performing. Also it is heartening to see that Kolkata is back to cheer us.”

On the strategy during the auctions and team selection, SRK said: “We wanted a fresh team. Venky [Mysore], Dav Whatmore, Vijay Dahiya, Joydeep, Jeet and Joy Da sat together to work out a strategy before the 2011 auctions. See, in the auctions you can’t choose much but I think we got one of the combinations right this time.
“All my friends from the industry have stuck by me to tell the people of Kolkata that we are together and we will win. Imagine what are we going to do if we win the cup,” he signed off.