SRK’s top 5 moments with KKR

Shah Rukh Khan lives his life on his own terms: be it his films or his other projects. And for a while, it seemed like King Khan could do no wrong. However, his purchase of the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2008 proved that even great men sometimes make wrong decisions. The Knight Riders were bought by Shah Rukh’s Red Chillies Entertainment in partnership with Juhi Chawla and her husband, Jai Mehta. We pick out the top five moments that Shah Rukh has endured with his team.

1. Last year at the IPL, Shah Rukh Khan and Sourav Ganguly disagreed over issues such as team composition, Sourav’s choice of batting first in the game against Chennai Super Kings and the entertainment tax being imposed for the matches played at Eden Gardens (Shah Rukh reportedly wanted Sourav to speak to the West Bengal Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, about it, but was refused by Sourav).

2. Initially, SRK was very keen to hang out with his team in the dressing room, discussing their strategies for each match. But later, the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit officials stopped Shah Rukh going into the team’s dressing room and the dugout during the IPL match between the Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings.

Shah Rukh had then said, “I like to hang around with the boys. I am very energetic. I am very disappointed that the ICC has stopped me. I don't know the ICC rules, but nobody dare stop me from coming to Kolkata. I'll be there whenever my team plays a match at the Eden.”

3. Then, in 2008, SRK gave an indication that a major decision regarding the team would be taken by Coach John Buchanan. And this year, Buchanan decided on the multiple captaincies, which many in Kolkata saw as another ploy to strip local favourite Sourav Ganguly of captaincy. Buchanan’s idea was eventually shelved, but Ganguly didn't retain his job either, as KKR’s Kiwi stumper Brendon McCullum became the new captain.

Needless to say, Kolkata was not happy, but Shah Rukh said, “For good and bad, the Kolkatans love us one night and one night they do get angry with our decisions. But I promise you guys that the dream I have is to come to Kolkata with the IPL trophy and dance. Will do some new steps for Korbo, Lorbo, Jeetbo Re.”

But this dream is far from coming true now, as his team only managed to win one match out of the seven they have played.

4. SRK selected six cheerleaders through his reality show Knights and Angels to cheer his team on in South Africa. But the South African cricket management did not allow them on the grounds, and he had no choice but to send them home, promising them work next IPL.

5. After a string of defeats suffered by the Kolkata Knight Riders, team owner Shah Rukh decided not to go back to South Africa unless KKR started to win. He said, “If they are doing well, I will go back. Otherwise, I don't like going back and feeling sad for the boys, because there is a lot of talent in the team and a lot of hard work.”