We’ve become tougher now: Shah Rukh

Calcutta: Shah Rukh Khan was absolutely overjoyed with the Kolkata Knight Riders’ emphatic performance against the Delhi DareDevils on Tuesday. Later, the Knight Riders’ owner briefly spoke to The Telegraph.

Shah Rukh, incidentally, will be back in Mumbai early on Wednesday to continue with his TV show shoots and prepare for a new film.

The following are excerpts from the one-on-one:

The following are excerpts

On the Knight Riders’ superb win on Tuesday

(Laughs) We’ve been having some tough games and they’re making the team tougher! At the end of the match, John (Buchanan, coach) asked ‘how did we do it?’ Indeed… We bowled beautifully and fielded so well… The two run outs made the difference.

Having got very emotional

Because the boys played so well and because the Eden crowd has been supporting us in such a big way… That’s why I bow to the crowd after each match… It’s my way of thanking them…

His remarkable connect with the fans here

They probably like me because I’m humble… At the Eden, I’m Shah Rukh Khan… I’m not putting on an act.

MoM Shoaib Akhtar’s performance

I’d been very disappointed when Shoaib wasn’t allowed to play till last week… He’d been our first buy at the February 20 IPL auction and was probably the first buy for any team… I don’t want to get into the rules but I’d been extremely disappointed… I’d been very keen to have a photograph taken at the Eden with everybody in it… Ricky Ponting, Brendon McCullum, Chris Gayle, Shoaib… That didn’t work out…

His dream of Shoaib taking three wickets in his first over remaining unfulfilled

But I amended that to three in his first three… Shoaib, in fact, did better… Four in the first three! As I’ve said, I’m very happy as he’s become the most liked player around… People would say he’s a budtameez and so on, but he’s not that… He’s shown what he’s capable of.

Whether Shoaib’s comeback script would match anything from the world of films

Reality is always different…

Shoaib opening with Ishant Sharma

(Smiles) That’s one dream which has been realised… I wanted them to bowl together… That has happened at the Eden.

Finally, whether captain Sourav Ganguly should again be considered for the ODIs

Look, my involvement with cricket starts and ends with the Knight Riders… I really don’t know much about other things and wouldn’t like to comment.

The Telegraph - Calcutta