Philip Salt Credits Gautam Gambhir's Mentorship for IPL Success

England opener Philip Salt attributes his success in IPL 2024 to advice from India's head coach Gautam Gambhir. Salt, who played a pivotal role for KKR in their title-winning campaign, shared how Gambhir's competitiveness and strategic guidance helped him perform effectively in Indian conditions.

England opener Philip Salt has credited India's head coach Gautam Gambhir for his remarkable performance during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, where he played a vital role in Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) trophy-winning campaign. Gambhir, serving as KKR's team mentor, shared crucial advice that significantly benefited Salt in Indian conditions.

Reflecting on his time with Gambhir, Salt noted the former Indian opener's fierce competitiveness as a key factor that helped him connect with the mentor. "Brilliant experience doesn't get any better than winning the IPL. Gambhir's playing record speaks volumes, and his mentoring was invaluable," Salt expressed at the CEAT Cricketing Rating Awards.

Salt highlighted a particular piece of advice from Gambhir that he found transformative. "He advised me to take the game deep, especially in India. Even if the start is slow, focus on scoring the majority of runs between overs ten to twenty," Salt recalled. This strategy enabled Salt to amass 435 runs in 12 matches, leaving a significant impact before returning to England for the T20I series against Pakistan. The opener is expected to return in English colors for the upcoming series against Australia in September.

(With inputs from agencies.)